You'd better be in serious trouble!
by Jillie Rose
Summary: Mara Jade, Han, Wedge, Wes and Hobbie have to team up to save Luke and Leia. All I can say is they had better be in serious trouble...COMPLETE. Finally.
1. Chapter 1

Well, ladies and gentlemen (predominantly ladies I imagine) I searched and I searched, but I couldn't find anything with Mara Jade and the Rogue squadron

Well, ladies and gentlemen (predominantly ladies I imagine) I searched and I searched, but I couldn't find anything with Mara Jade and the Rogue squadron.

Now I know that she's EU and all, and the Rogues are not. But…the comic possibilities are endless.

I want to see more fics on this subject. Or even ficlets. I like ficlets.

Disclaimer: Do I have a beard and grey hair? No, so it's fairly safe to assume that I am in fact me. And not George Lucas. So I don't own this stuff. I just like to play in his sandpit from time to time.

_Diary of Senator Leia Organa-Solo:_

_Day 1._

_Obviously, this is not the actual Day One when the universe appeared or whatever. No. But this is the first day of our captivity by that…er…perhaps I should go back a little._

_We're on Yavin IV. Why we always end up here I really don't know. Someone should have a word about that. If I didn't know better, I'd swear that the Force had a sense of irony._

_When I say 'we', I mean me, my (as yet) unborn child (yes, I'm expecting another child! I'm only a few weeks pregnant though. Isn't it exciting…hold on. You're a datapad. You don't care.) and my brother Luke.If you weren't an inanimate object, you might ask how we got here. But since you are an inanimate object, and I'm going to have a lot of time on my hands, I'll tell you anyway._

_It all started with Rogue Squadron, really. We'd met up for the Freedom Day celebrations…_

"WEDGE!"

"Oh dear. That was Luke. And…for a Jedi Master, he sounds none too tranquil." I remarked to Han, who merely nodded nonchalantly. Perhaps I should have been more suspicious at this point, but I was mostly just curious.

"WES! WEDGE! RUN!" There was a blur as several men sprinted past us.

"And that was…Hobbie?" I asked, a little confused. But when the Rogue Squadron is around…

_You expect the unexpected. Or rather, the unexpected becomes more and more commonplace. And you act less surprised. The reason for the yelling, it transpired, had to do with a…how to put this?…sweepstake on the nocturnal activities of my brother. Of course, there was one on pretty much everyone, especially if Wedge had anything to do with it. The one on Han and myself had proved particularly profitable, but let's not get into that now, shall we? Er…inanimate object. Inanimate object. _

_I'm in solitary confinement, and the only request I have been granted is for a datapad and stylus. Why this request has been granted I don't know. Maybe they're monitoring this. Not like they don't know the story._

_But back to it, because it's distracting me, and stress isn't good for the baby._

"What exactly is the meaning of this?" asked Luke in one of those dangerously calm voices that means something is going to go badly in a moment.

Wes Janson shifted in his seat, cornered by the seething Jedi master.

"Now, Lukie, you need to see the funny side of this…" he began.

Big mistake.

"Do I look like I'm seeing the funny side?" inquired Luke, with every appearance of calm.

Wedge Antilles could be seen quietly backing away in…well…the background.

_Trouble was, he'd hit a nerve without meaning to. Luke was lonely. He'd never admit it, but I'm his sister, I know these things. Callista…that whole thing had shaken him badly. Mind you, he wasn't as angry as he was letting on._

_The other trouble was…_

"Mara Jade?"

Silence.

"MARA JADE??"

(Your author notes that if this universe had a fanfiction academy it would be raining punctuation by now.)

"We wanted to cover all our bases?" tried Hobbie, hopefully.

"I think you probably did that with the bets on me and General Rieekan" Luke deadpanned.

_The corners of my mouth were twitching. Really, I tried not to laugh, but it was too good to resist…_

"Leia, are you laughing at me?"

_I shook my head. Unfortunately, my shoulders were also shaking. Involuntarily. And so he tickled me._

_All this is kind of off the point, I suppose. But it's making me smile. Basically, he tickled me, I shrieked like a Corellian firefly with a hangover, and Han took it upon himself to 'save' me. So it ended up with the most respected leaders of the Rebellion, the New Republic and the Rogue Squadron in an ungainly heap on the floor, giggling like teenagers. Wedge, Wes and Hobbie had seen fit to attack Luke when he was down._

"Seriously. Mara Jade? Where do you get your delusions from?" Luke was heard to mumble as he wandered off in search of food. I followed.

_And that's when it all went to Dagobah in a dustcart._

"What's wrong, Luke?" I wheedled. We were out of the main clearing now. Back on the forest moon of Endor. Only this time it was safe for us. No Imperials…

_There was a pause as he turned to answer me…and then pain, and then blackness. I could hear shouting in my head. Luke was calling out in the Force with all the strength he had._

"**Anyone… Jedi, hear me… Organa… Skywalker… HELP!"**

_And here we are. I woke up in a metal cell and I felt the familiar chill. I felt like I was on the Death Star again. I reached out in the Force, trying to sense…there. I felt the presence of my unborn child as strong as ever, and sighed with relief. I took a breath, and reached out to find Luke. He was there, I could feel his presence, but it was muffled. And so it has continued. I don't know where he is, just that he's nearby. He's not in pain, I think. It's hard to tell. I should have worked harder on my training._

_**In the darkness of her rooms, a redhead stirred in her sleep. She groaned and rolled over, swatting at the air as if to bat away ghosts. Her sheets tangled around her pale form, she finally rolled right off the bed onto the floor.**_

_**Mumbling, she leapt to her feet, steadying herself against her dresser. Her room personified 'spartan': a dresser, a mirror, a wardrobe and a bed, all in functional wood. **_

_**Which was helpful, as if she had stubbed her toe on a metal dresser, there would have been swearing.  
"OOWWW!" Jedi Mara Jade yelled. "LUKE SKYWALKER, YOU BETTER BE IN REALLY SERIOUS TROUBLE!"**_

_Diary of Leia Organa-Solo. _

_I've only been here a couple of hours but there have been major disturbances in the Force on two occasions. First I felt something, weak but there, someone recognising Luke's distress call. And then a fierce cry…it was a little frightening. It's passed now though._

"Where's my wife got to?" demanded Han Solo, half an hour after she had headed off, he presumed, to heart-to-heart with Luke. "She can only give her brother a hard time of it for so long before he wanders off…and she's been gone too long. If she's schmoozing a Senator on our day off…" He stalked over to the bonfire. He wasn't angry, but she needed to take care of herself. Especially with another baby on the way…he smiled.

"DADDA!"

"MAMMA!"

The nine-month old twins were screaming in the nursery. They had maybe three words between them, (the other one was 'Oog' when they saw Uncle Luke) but Han could easily see their distress. He picked one up in each arm, trying to hush them. To no avail. They were screaming still, and a young Jedi made to take Jaina from Han. He shied away, surprised, but the young girl tipped her head and stared at him with a bright pair of eyes, holding her arms out to receive the baby.

Han blinked at her, and gingerly handed over Jaina. The girl closed her eyes and reached out…

"I felt a disturbance earlier. I'm not…I couldn't hear properly…" the girl was shaking, and Han rearranged himself so he could pat her on her shoulder.

"Hey, it's ok, kid…" he began. Her eyes snapped open.

"Master Skywalker is gone. So is Senator Organa-Solo. Sir, they're not here. I can't feel them. Master Skywalker called for help, sir. Where…?"

She broke off her sentence, realising she was no longer holding Jaina. Han was sprinting in the direction of his ship, yelling orders.


	2. Chapter 2

No sooner was Han inside the Falcon when he heard his comm

No sooner was Han inside the _Falcon_ when he heard his comm. Someone was trying to contact him…

"Solo, where's Luke?" hissed Mara Jade (Mara Jade, he mused distantly, was hours away by the fastest transport. How did she know?). She was clearly frantic and even more clearly trying not to be. "He's not responding to me, and he sent a distress call through the Force…"

Han groaned, and moved to respond. "Jade? The kid's gone, so has…my wife…" He grimaced and continued, "I need to take the kids somewhere safe. We'll…"

Mara Jade broke him off, exclaiming, "I'm tracking them. I'll rendezvous with you…"

"Ok, I'll bring…" Han began, but she had closed communication with him after sending rendezvous coordinates to his onboard computer. Han sighed. This was all moving rather too quickly. Time to call a few friends…

_Diary of Leia Organa-Solo_

_It's been six hours. I think. Luke has come around from the drug they gave him. He's nearby, but he's being shielded from me._

_Oh dear. This is not good. Really not good. I mean on a scale of one to…this is ridiculous._

_There is no fear…there is only peace. Deep cleansing breaths. Et cetera. I wish Han were here…and what about the twins? They'll be frantic. Oh dear…_

Han talked as he worked. He had no idea if Leia could hear him, and he suspected not, but it helped. "The twins, just so you know, are absolutely fine. Well. They've been left with Threepio and Artoo." (but that is a story for another time. As is the story of Jaina's first date, but that's not for another thirteen years or so. Just as well.) He stopped. He sighed. "Leia, honey, I don't mind telling you; I have no idea how to get you back. I have no idea where you are. And I have no idea why this has happened. And I ain't afraid to tell you, sweetheart…" he looked around, shiftily, but he was alone on the _Falcon_. "I'm scared for you, Your Worshipfulness. You hear me? Huh?"

The _Jade's Fire _had seldom flown so fast. It was, after all, Mara's baby, her pride and joy…ok, this didn't prevent it from being thrown through space in a manner that seemed reckless, but Mara had never pushed her ship as hard as she was doing now.

Then again, she hadn't had this one very long.

Not to mention the inherently Bad Idea implicit in flying one's ship at maximum speed while one's Force powers are entirely concentrated on tracking the life signature of an unconscious Jedi. Even one who seemed…somehow rather too intrinsically connected with her.

Some time later, she met Solo at the appointed place, and the _Falcon_ and the _Fire_ docked to each other as the seriously pi…

Ahem.

Seriously ticked off Mara Jade made her way into the _Falcon's_ cockpit. The author will not tolerate swearing, thank you.

She was surprised to see Wes, Wedge and Hobbie in the cockpit with Solo. She didn't know them, after all. She had met some of the Rogue Squadron briefly, if she remembered correctly. Which of them had tried to chat her up? Oh right. All of them. The bravest one (she thought his name was Wedge) had lasted a full thirty seconds before being stared down.

Brave or stupid, she thought.

Han introduced them quickly, and she filled them in on where Luke and Leia were being kept. Well, roughly. Unfortunately, space is a big place, and an approximate location was all they had so far. And that was thanks to Mara. The three Rogues weren't _openly_ staring at her, but she could feel their eyes on her.

Let them wonder, Mara thought, grinning wickedly even in the midst of a crisis.

She agreed to take Wedge Antilles (yes, the one who had managed a full thirty seconds of flirtatious banter) on the _Fire_, as Han reckoned they needed to split in case of capture or…other concerns. Neither of them mentioned being blown out of space. But she had agreed, and escorted the grumbling Antilles to the _Fire_.

He clearly was very brave or _very_ stupid, as he attempted to engage her in conversation on the journey. Mara was wound tight as a coiled spring. Conversation was not her forte.

"So you and Lukie…" Wedge began.

"Yes?" she said quietly, with only the faintest trace of an edge.

"…you going out or what?"

"No."

"Shame, shame. Knockout like you, gotta be a man in your life." Wedge chattered on easily.

The author winced on his behalf.

"What makes you think that I _need_ a man?" Mara Jade demanded belligerently. She was fully prepared to launch into her 'useless men' speech, but Wedge stopped her.

"Easy, easy." He said comfortingly. For some reason this seemed to be effective.

The reason it was effective was actually because Jedi Jade had managed to hear Luke's voice in her head. He was trying to reassure her he was ok. This distracted her long enough that the urge to shove Wedge out the airlock had subsided.

For now. She shushed Wedge and closed her eyes, pressing controls with the ease born of many hours in the cockpit. Every so often she would open them again, make a course adjustment, and then sit back in her chair, straining to sense the presence on the very edge of her consciousness. It took a while.

Eventually, she made final adjustments, and sent firm coordinates to Han. That was all she could do. Seeing she had finished, Wedge started talking again but, to his credit, he switched the topic of conversation to Luke's past escapades with the Rogue Squadron.

With particular emphasis on the embarrassing ones. Mara Jade appreciated this. She had to admit she was irritated by his attempt to pry (even if it was only natural, her head reminded her) but she understood why Luke spoke of him and the others with such regard.

This did not mean he would be privy to any information about her. But she might, just might, tell him a few embarrassing stories in return.

She didn't get the chance. There was a nasty spike in the Force, and she winced. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, one of her hands automatically strayed to her purple lightsaber.

They had arrived.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: I still don't own a thing

Chapter Three:

Disclaimer: I still don't own a thing.

Mara was tense. She flung her chair around the cockpit of the _Jade's Fire_, shoving on a comm. set which pushed some unruly strands of her red hair out of her face. The tight braid down her back flicked from side to side as she reached out to different controls, and Wedge was reminded of

He said nothing, just waited and watched. He carefully surveyed the figure contained in her black jumpsuit. (It was just as well she wasn't paying attention.) Watched the impatient way she tucked wisps of hair behind her ears, took in the curve of her throat and her piercing eyes as she set herself to communicating with the _Falcon_ hovering above. The bright light in her eyes when she sensed Luke's flickering presence. Of course Wedge didn't know about that one, but he could guess. After all, that girl had been mooning over his pal for…how long had Han said? _Years?_

He may not have been Force-sensitive, but he knew sparks when he saw them. Two things had struck him upon seeing Mara again:

She was an exceptional pilot.

She was hopelessly in love with Luke.

Wedge shook his head. If they got out of this alive, the Rogues were going to be looking for a piece of this. They had, then, better get out of it alive.

Mara eased the _Fire_ into orbit around Yavin, the _Falcon_ close behind. Her scans were picking up a cruiser just around the curve of the planet. Of course, technically line of sight meant that she couldn't possibly know this.

But then again, who would notice if there was another signal piggybacking on the orbiting satellites? And one satellite was telling her that the space near it was a lot fuller than it had been before. She was very fond of the slicer who had set up that little trick for her. Not the faintest idea how he'd done it, but nonetheless…

Besides which, the Force was everywhere. And she could feel Luke nearby.

Finding the specs of the cruiser turned out not to be a problem. Finding out (after several false starts and a lot of dead ends) who _owned_ the cruiser was the interesting part. As was the scan for life signs.

Mara and Han settled in to discuss tactics.

Luke, it has to be said, was not in the best of moods. Leia was alone, defenceless, and pregnant. He was feeling very useless. And for some reason, his big toe was quite sore. He couldn't recall stubbing his toe, so he sighed and put it down to 'one of those things' i.e. something even the Force couldn't explain. Or rather, something the Force _could_ explain, but wasn't likely to.

He tried to reach her again with his mind, but gave it up as a lost cause. He was being shielded. It was rather like a huge wall between them.

Come to think of it, there were huge walls, a number of them in fact, between him and Leia.

But that was rather beside the point.

His body stiffened involuntarily as he felt several presences coming closer.

He wondered for a moment at the lack of security. He hadn't tried to break out. After all, he wasn't stupid. He knew that if he escaped the most likely first action of the kidnappers would be to kill Leia. And he couldn't put her at risk, not now. He needed a plan.

The door hissed open. A hooded human, his figure completely obscured by heavy robes, was followed into the room by two guards dressed in black. On their tunics there was a large emblem; a gold outline of a sun.

"My name is Fliry Vorru, Jedi Master Skywalker." There was a small pause. Luke's mind suddenly started ticking very quickly.

"The Black Sun…I thought you were…" he began.

"Dead, Skywalker? Gone, perhaps? Never to return?" The figure shrugged, and gestured around the small metal room. "We are a little more determined than I think you give us credit for." Vorru observed calmly. He pulled his hood back. The face that was revealed was utterly nondescript. Sandy hair, ageing badly, pale.

Luke took a deep breath. Playing games, was he? Well, they would see about that. He sought out Vorru's thoughts and found he could read them like a book.

A large, thin book with lots of pictures and not many words.

Vorru was hopelessly unprepared. Which was rather unlike him. Perhaps old age had dulled him.

"What do you stand to gain by this?" Luke asked quietly.

Vorru smiled.

"There are a few things, I suppose" he said. "Credits, yes, well, there will be some of those. A return to form of the Black Sun. A show that we…keep our promises."

Something nagged at Luke as those words were uttered. Something old yet strangely familiar…he set it to one side to think about later.

"You'll never get away with this" Luke began, and sighed inwardly. How horribly clichéd. You sometimes wondered how often you must get yourself into situations like this for words like that to seem boringly familiar…

Vorru chuckled, and Luke was again struck by the familiarity of the setup. "Don't worry, Master Skywalker. I'm sure all will be well. Your sister is doing fine, I am told, and seems to be rather…prolific." Before Luke could ask what he meant by that, Vorru swept out, leaving a rather confused Jedi in his wake.

Back on the _Falcon_, Han was wishing that Jade had taken _all_ the Rogues instead of just one. Hobbie and Wes were engaged in a game of holo-chess, seemingly completely unconcerned that one of their best friends was AWOL and that Han had spent the last few time parts trying very hard to set up a rescue.

"So then I said to her, I said…" _Graaagh. Crunch._

"Hobbie, I would put ten credits on the fact that you did not, in fact, even _approach_ this woman, let alone talk to her."

"Ye of little faith, Janson. As a matter of fact she said she found me quite charming."

"Hobbie, look, I'm your best friend and _I _think you have all the charisma of an asthmatic rancor with bad breath."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, _friend_. Check."

"Sithspit. Er…ha. Check."

"Wes, I've told you before. Check is when _one move_ means you'll win. Not when you know you're losing and want to call it quits."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Checkmate." _Roaaargh! Crunch._

Wes looked up. "Are we there yet, oh brave taxi driver?"

Han rolled his eyes. "Yes. Five time parts. Now would you kindly get ready, _if_ it's not too much trouble?"

Fatherhood, he reflected, gave one a special kind of sarcasm.

Mara, not too far away, started to discuss the plan with…started _trying _to discuss the plan with General Antilles.

It was not entirely successful. While he was a pilot, leader and soldier of great experience, he never seemed to act like it. Plus, he was fascinated by her ship.

"All right, we're going in this standard formation, it's not too dissimilar to your _don't touch that!_ usual covert ops. Back in the day _put that down!_ I'm told you boys did your fair share of _I said put it down! _rescuing of damsels in distress. Oh, and Leia too."

Wedge grinned.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Right then" she replied, with more confidence than she felt, "Let's be about it."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four:

Chapter Four:

_How long has it been? It must be at least a day. They've taken everything: everything except the datapad. _

_If Han were here he could probably tell me what was last written on it. _

_I miss him…I miss him a lot. It's only been…hours, maybe? But it burns to be away from him. It aches so badly to feel abandoned…and the children. What about the children? They'll be frantic._

_Does Han have them under control? How can he? Is he looking for me?_

The day, Leia had to admit, was dragging by. She wasn't used to this. She was much more used to the cut-and-thrust of interrogation, torture, threatened execution. Granted, she didn't _**want**_ to be threatened, tortured or executed, but it would have broken the monotony.

What was she thinking? She shook her head and settled to the floor to try and meditate.

Meanwhile, Jade and Han were plotting. Or, to put it more precisely, Han was plotting. Jade was reaching out to find Luke while nodding along to Han's ideas.

'So then I thought…' Han was continuing. He saw the expression on Mara's face, that faraway look and ended, 'we could just shoot Wedge and be done with it.'

'Mmm.' Mara replied. Han rolled his eyes.

'You're not listening.'

Mara turned, and fixed her eyes on him. 'Yes and no,' she said. 'I am listening. But not to you.'

She turned away again, and began to slip into a trance. Han watched for a moment, then started to go over his plans again.

Of course, the two of them being otherwise engaged gave the Rogues a much-needed opportunity.

For mischief and mayhem, obviously. Han is really going to regret inviting these three before the finish.

'She's in love.' Simple statement, sure, but in the crowded cabin the Rogues were currently pow-wowing, it had the approximate effect of someone drawing a lightsaber.

Dead silence.

Wes looked at Wedge.

'With _**LUKE?**_' he gasped. 'Oooh. This…this is going to be _**good**_. Does he know?'

'Course not,' Hobbie jumped in. 'He thinks, quite sensibly, that she hates him.'

'Why?' queried Wes.

'She acts like it.' The simple reply made Wes nod, and sigh.

'Young love.'

'Nothing like it,' said Wedge, grinning. 'Rogues, you remember how _efficiently_ we got Han and Leia together?'

'I'm sure we'll do better this time' said Hobbie quickly, and Wedge glared at him.

'Like I was **saying**' Wedge continued, 'We learned a lot from that. And we haven't really had a proper challenge for a long time now…'

This time it was Wes who jumped in.

'Yeah, General, it's not like this whole _rescuing Luke and Leia from unknown foes_ thing is a challenge at all…'

Wedge just looked at him, with the look well-known to children who misbehave in front of a strict teacher. The sort of look that said, 'Stop now and I'll pretend you didn't just do that really stupid thing.'

'Janson. Listen. This will be…a challenge, sure. But I have every confidence in Solo and in Luke's bit of stuff out there. They'll get us a plan, we execute it, all will be well. But this…well, once we do this mission…it's back to pushing paper. And I don't want that. I want a challenge. And here's a perfect one.'

Hobbie looked a little sceptical. 'You do remember what happened the last time?' he reminded them. 'You remember the total lack of praise and recognition we got?'

'I remember' said Janson. 'But this…this will be necessarily covert-ops. If she gets so much as a hint we're pushing them together...'

'…then we're dead. That woman used to be an assassin.' completed Wedge grimly. 'Ok, I don't think she'd actually kill us…'

'Who could hurt that pretty face?' smirked Wes.

'…but she can get a little…touchy. It'll be worth the effort though. Honestly.'

There was a silence as the Rogues considered this.

'To covert ops then' said Hobbie, raising his right fist to Wes' left shoulder.

Wes shrugged, and raised his right fist, to Wedge's shoulder.

Wedge grinned, and raised his fist to Hobbie's left shoulder.

They bumped fists to shoulders, then fists together in the centre of their little circle, and leaned back, sighing.

'It doesn't feel quite right without the kid.'

'I know, Hobbie, but he's gotta be out of the loop on this one. He's terrified of that woman. But there's something about her…he's spellbound, I swear. It'll be worth it.'

'I'm sure you're right, Wedge. I'm sure you're right.'

A silence descended on the ship.

The silence was broken soon afterwards.

'Fliry Vorru. _**Fliry Vorru?**_' Mara leapt out of her trance and looked at Han in disbelief. 'Fliry Vorru!' she yelled.

'Are you speaking in tongues?' replied Han grumpily. 'Cos I swear that ain't Basic.'

'Fliry Vorru,' she repeated one last time. 'Wanted to head up the Black Sun. I reckon you've heard of them, right?'

The Rogues came crashing down the corridor when Mara yelled.

'What's the ruckus?' said Wes calmly.

'Fliry Vorru.' Mara repeated the name one last time, and sat down. 'That's all I can get from Luke. It's on action replay in his mind. It's in my head now too.'

Unfortunately, the Rogues (true to form) were taking a keen interest in anything connected with Luke and Mara.

'Why would it get stuck like that?' Wes asked, with every appearance of innocence.

Mara swung her head around to face him, her hands trying to twist into her hair and failing. She dropped her hands, self-consciously, and stared them down.

Tried to stare them down. But there were three Rogues. And even the famed staring talents of Mara Jade could not take on three people at once. Even if one was looking elsewhere.

She dropped her eyes. 'I don't know' she admitted. 'It seems a little odd that it could get stuck in my head too. I have been trying to read his thoughts though. Maybe that's why…' She shook her head, trying to clear the three swirling words.

At least her head was not the only one in which the words were swirling.

Wedge had a faraway look in his eyes. It couldn't be…could it?

'Corellia to the general. Corellia calling, Wedge, anyone home?' Han was waving his hand in front of Wedge's face, and Wedge snapped back to the _Falcon_. Mara Jade was giving him the steady gaze of someone who expects information, right now.

Wedge sighed. 'Vorru is, or rather was, a Corellian politician, a Moff, actually. During the Empire, they sent him to the mines on Kessel when he got too powerful. We…we released him. Sent him to Coruscant to infiltrate the place for the Rebellion. And he did, but…he was working for the Empire too, and after the fall, he disappeared to Thyferra. When we caught up with him he went back to Kessel.

'In between times, he made the Black Sun a force to be reckoned with. But that all finished when he went back to prison.'

'Apparently not.' Mara looked pensive. 'I don't like this, not one bit.' She turned to the Rogues. 'I need you to dig up everything, and I mean everything, we've got on this guy.'

'Han…' she tailed off.

'That creep, this Fluffy kid, took my wife. He's going down.'

Jade nodded. 'Ok. Heads together, databank on. We figured out the layout of his ship, ways in, ways out, ways around. We need to do a weapons inventory, we need to know which of the life signs is most likely to be Luke, or Leia, and…I need to practice.'

No one wanted to ask what she needed to practice.

Drawing her lightsaber, Mara stepped into the cargo hold. Taking the Jedi ready stance with her 'saber lit, she stepped delicately through various stances, practicing the intricate footwork that had unwittingly become second nature to her.

Her fighting style was rather like her personality: extremely guarded, with flashes of aggression. Her lightsaber close to her body, she swung and twisted, fighting back the anger that threatened to overcome her. She didn't want to get angry. Angry, as much as she hated to admit it, didn't really help. No.

She needed to stay focused. Focus was the key.

Breathing deeply, she closed her eyes and sighed.

They took Luke. They took Leia. And Luke was most worried about Leia.

Figures, him being her brother and all, but he was seriously concerned.

Mara Jade, reluctant Jedi and firm believer in the fact that, despite appearances, the Force usually knew what it was doing, retreated to the _Fire_ to get her stuff.

Sometimes, you just had to hope for the best.

She really hoped Luke knew what he was doing.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Don't own Star Wars

Disclaimer: Don't own Star Wars. George does. Don't own Mara, Luke, or any other character. George does. Don't own me. Jesus does. (I'm in good hands)

'Vorru is…proud. He's sneaky, overambitious and completely committed to himself. He wants power; the Black Sun gives him lots. If they can be restored to their former glory that is.'

One hour later, Mara Jade stepped back onto the bridge of the _Falcon._ She was…considerably better for the happy exercise chemicals dancing about in her system, but still rather worried.

Han was…Han was also tense. Even the Rogues were wary of him in this mood. Nobody wanted to get between him and this Vorru person. Or, as he'd taken to calling him, Fluffy.

The Rogues recognised a confidence trick when they saw one. Make the enemy less intimidating; your confidence increases. They get irate. Psychology had never really been a big strong point of Han, but he knew how to annoy people, so it was ok.

They needed a plan. Correction: they had a plan, but it was risky. Han didn't really like risky where his wife and unborn child were concerned. Only Luke knew about the new baby, and Han wished to keep it that way. But he couldn't really risk it…

'Leia's pregnant.' Two words as they settled into their chairs to finalise plans. The bridge went completely silent.

Mara recovered first. 'How long?' she asked.

'Only a few weeks' Han replied, 'maybe a month. Either way, I thought you guys needed to know, just in case, y'know?' The question hid a thousand fears and hopes and expectations.

Wedge's brown eyes met Han's green ones, and in that moment the Rogue and the smuggler understood each other. They couldn't lose the child. Even if it was beyond both their controls, each would lay the blame at their own door. And they would tear themselves apart.

Wedge bit his lip. There were no guarantees. This was going to be dangerous. But then…Leia was a tough woman.

Mara was also concerned, but for a different reason. Luke's voice was getting fainter. Whether it was cold or tiredness or worry she didn't know. But she was worried.

And frantically trying to convince herself she wasn't.

_I'm…this is really embarrassing. Honestly, I'm a respected politician. I have the ear of the most powerful people in the galaxy. This is…just undignified._

_I have morning sickness. Now, under normal circumstances morning sickness is not the most pleasant of experiences. However, in here, it's intolerable. The 'fresher is now in almost constant use by yours truly, and it's embarrassing. _

_They probably think I'm cracking under the strain of being held captive. _

_Let them. Maybe they'll be less disposed towards…coming near me if I keep throwing up at a moment's notice._

_I'm afraid. Really, truly afraid now. I'm afraid for my brother. I'm afraid for my husband. I'm afraid for my unborn child. I'm afraid for my twins. _

_And mostly? Shamefully? I'm afraid for myself. I'm afraid that they might touch me. I fear worse than that. I fear torture. I fear rape. I fear pain. I__** fear**__._

_I'm truly afraid. For the first time in a long time, I'm afraid for my life. And for my body. I won't let them touch me, I can't! But…but I can't leave the twins without a mother. What if they kill me? _

_Don't let it come to that. Please, don't let it come to that._

Luke was afraid too. He had been returned to his cell without so much as his hair ruffled, and fear was stabbing icy needles into his heart.

He breathed deeply, trying to steady himself. He felt his hand twitch toward the lightsaber that was no longer there, and visibly slumped. The words of a Jedi from the Old Republic, dredged up from an archive long forgotten, came to mind.

"Those who live by the sword will die by the sword. They fear others. Those who live by the Force need fear only themselves."

What about fearing **for** others, though? Jedi never seemed to mention that. They never seemed to have sisters or brothers-in-law or friends who were constantly getting into trouble.

_Mara…_the word almost escaped his lips, but he held it back, fearful of those listening. He had been so furious when he saw the Rogues had put her on his…betting board.

But then…maybe…

Luke took self-awareness very seriously. If you didn't know yourself, he reckoned, then you couldn't possibly know anyone else. So a little navel-gazing was sometimes necessary.

**Was he really angry? **

_Yes_, his mind answered grumpily.

**Was it because he disliked Mara Jade?**

_No_, came the voice again. _She's quite nice when she's not trying to kill you_.

**Then what? Why had he overreacted so badly?**

_You care for her_, his mind whispered treacherously._ You didn't want her mixed up in it. And you know what else?_

Luke shook his head, only half mindful that he was listening to the voices in his head.

**You wouldn't want her to know about it, right?**

_Of course not._

**Why?**

_She'd be furious._

**Why?**

_She doesn't think of me like that._

**You sure?** the voice nagged.

_Of course._

**Why?**

'FOR PITY'S SAKE!' Luke yelled, 'STOP ASKING, I DON'T KNOW!'

**Tch. Suuuure**_,_ the voice scoffed. **If that's true, why did you just yell to the whole room?**

Luke blushed.

**Admit it**_,_ the voice pushed. **You think she's the most beautiful creature you've ever seen.**

Luke blushed harder.

Meanwhile, Mara Jade was feeling rather warm. Her cheeks were a little red and flushed. She pressed a cool hand against them, and put it down to the after-effects of the saber training.

'We need the element of surprise. It's essential. This plan is horribly complicated, and I don't know if it's going to work. If it doesn't, our first priority is to secure the twins. And we try to stay…not together, but not on our own either. Small groups, two or three. Is everyone clear?' Mara was commanding, clear, and crisp. She was still flushed, and wondered if she was coming down with something. She'd have to get that checked.

She checked her blaster, lightsaber and various hidden accoutrements that were hidden in places she would rather not share with the public. Leaning back on a console, she watched the Rogues and Han preparing.

Han was checking over his blaster repeatedly. He wished, more than anything, that Chewie was here. He missed his friend, but it was around Life Day, and so the Wookie was on Kashyyyk with his family.

It was too far for him to come on such short notice, plus they didn't really want to send a message in any of the usual channels to tell him that the Princess and the Jedi Master had been kidnapped. This…this was extremely fishy in Han's opinion. He wanted to keep it quiet. Still, he wished he could have got a message to Chewie. He missed the Wookie dreadfully.

Wedge, Hobbie and Wes were joking and laughing. The years had taken some of their youth, but had given them experience, and reinforced an attitude that if you're going to go out, you may as well do it in style with your friends around you.

They had a plan, they would execute the plan, they would go for drinks afterwards.

That was the way it had always worked.

That was the way it was going to work this time.

That was all there was to it.

Mara shivered, a chill running through her.

She didn't like this situation. Not one bit.

Charging in all guns blazing was not the way she was used to.

However, the Rogues preferred it, and so they would.

She, however…shaking her head and smiling in spite of herself, she walked swiftly over to the Rogues, standing in a semicircle. Placing a slim hand each on Wes and Hobbie's shoulders, she tipped her head to one side and said quietly, 'Take care of yourselves. And may the Force be with you.'


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: If you recognise it, I don't own it

Disclaimer: If you recognise it, I don't own it.

Chapter Six: On Dental Work and Escape Plans

The _Jade's Fire_ was a surprising ship, in much the same way the _Millennium Falcon_ was a surprising ship. The _Falcon _was incredibly fast and full of hidden surprises, despite looking like it was only fit for the scrap heap. The _Fire_ had a few surprises of its own.

For example, its pilot.

And, on a not entirely unrelated side note, it had clearance to go anywhere. Anytime. Not because of some edict from Leia or a head of the New Republic. Nope. The _Fire_, due to a combination of its rather nondescript appearance and (where necessary) the reputation of its owner, could get it anywhere. I mean, would you want to argue with a ticked-off Mara Jade?

The skill of the pilot was paramount at the moment. Mara Jade was trailing along on top of Han's ship, desperately trying not to scratch her paintwork, as Han piloted over the space station that orbited Yavin IV.

The _Falcon_ was hailing the station.

Vorru appeared on screen.

'General Solo!' he exclaimed with every appearance of delight. 'How kind of you to pay us a little visit. I am pleased to inform you that your wife is not at all enjoying her stay with us, but seems quite happy to be entertained by…' Han visibly flinched, and Mara Jade closed her eyes, grinding her teeth, 'a datapad and stylus. What she writes about I have no idea…but where are my manners? My goodness, you must come down here, you must see her for yourself!'

Vorru went on. And on. And on. Rather like an EverReady battery, he seemed to just…keep going. Han's jaw was so tight he feared for his teeth, but he couldn't blow up. Not here. Not now. Still, to set the ball rolling, it was best to begin as soon as possible, right?

Mara was also fearing for her dental work, but kept her head. After all, you don't get as good as her by blowing up randomly. She kept her eyes shut and counted to ten.

Han, on the other hand, decided to stir things up a little. A pre-emptive strike on the idiot who thought that kidnapping a Force-sensitive pair of twins was a good idea.

'Fluffy Vorru, I would be delighted to,' he growled, trying not to spit at the smug face on the screen.

Fliry paused his monologue, clearly unsure as to whether or not this was some kind of joke.

'Make the preparations for landing,' he snapped to a lackey off-screen.

Han closed the communication channel, and grinned.

He was amused.

Mara, upon opening her eyes, discovered that she had scratched her paintwork.

She was not amused.

_Day…I don't even know. Three? Two-and-a-half? Honestly, I have no idea. _

_To be honest, I'm feeling a bit better now. I've been fed for one thing, which is just as well. They shoved the food through the metal hatch on the door pretty fast though. I think they're afraid of my five foot one, generally throwing up self. Ugh. I hate morning sickness. Last child, I swear. I can't cope with the nausea._

_Me? Afraid of being sick? I know, it's enough to make you laugh…_

_Well, if you weren't, as previously discussed, an inanimate object._

_I think I'm losing my mind in here._

Luke was becoming convinced that he was losing his mind. About a time part before he had shut his eyes, just for a second. Upon opening them he felt rather annoyed about something.

_Mara_, he thought again, and the voices in his head started up once more.

**You love her, you do know that, right?**

The _Falcon _docked and Han carefully made his way down the ramp into the grey landing bay. Vorru was nowhere to be seen.

_I don't_, the countering voice argued. _No, I mean, I do; but as a friend, nothing more._

Wedge, Wes and Hobbie crouched under the ship, waiting for the prearranged signal.

**You love her and you are too much of a coward to admit it**_, _Luke's mind pressed. **Master Jedi, turning cowardly in your old age?**

Han marched through the twisting corridors, pausing every now and again to look lost. He didn't have to do much though; all the doors leading off to the side were locked. He kept walking.

_Shut up. I don't have to listen to you._

Mara, still in the _Fire_, was about to cause a ruckus.

_**Boom.**_ The noise echoed along the corridors and Han remembered to look scared. Mara, in true Rogue fashion, had set a very small but very well-placed charge on the station, and with a shout and a curse, every piece of radio equipment in the place, every screen, every comm. and every piece of electrical equipment, went _**fzzzt**_ and died a quiet ignoble death.

All…except four.

Hearing the sound of an explosion travelling through the walls, the Rogues picked up their comms and pulled them from their shields. Two beeps emitted from each comm. Wes smiled, and the Rogues ran.

All guns blazing, as was their wont.

Jedi Jade, on the other hand, was going for her preferred method: sneak and creep. She didn't have much time. Han in the station would buy them a little time, perhaps, but her job was Leia. Sneak in, grab the woman, sneak out.

Jade loved air vents.

Han kept going. Eventually he reached the end of the corridor, and a huge door. However, as every piece of electrical equipment in the base had been taken out (life support systems didn't run on electricity – just as well really) the only way to open it was manual override. All the other doors only opened from the inside.

He waited.

And Mara crawled. Attaching the _Fire_ to the station had been easy: the zero-g walk in a space suit to an escape hatch had not. But she was in, she had a spare suit, and she stashed them in a relatively safe spot before proceeding, from memory, through the vents.

The hours of preparation had not been wasted.

She knew that conclusions would be jumped to about the cause of the failure. She knew that the captors would most likely kill the hostages rather than risk their rescue.

She sped up, calling through the Force.

_**Luke, where are you?**_

_I'm here_, came the answering cry.

_**I'm getting Leia out. The Rogues are coming for you.**_

She peered around a shaft, and smiled. Kicking at the grate, she dropped unceremoniously into Leia's cell.

Leia leaped up, and Mara clapped a hand over her mouth, shaking her head. Leia nodded, and Mara made a stirrup with her hands to boost Leia into the air vent.

And just in time.

The door slid open, slowly.

Two guards, she guessed. Their presences were tinged with fear, loathing, and a certain amount of petty malice.

'Hello, little princess.' Mara's flesh crept. Yuck.

'I'm afraid it's the end of the line for you.'

'You see, your friends have come to rescue you. And we just can't have that, I'm afraid.'

Mara's hand was stayed on her lightsaber. It really wasn't worth the trouble. Pulling out her blaster, she set to stun. Though a slightly higher setting than was strictly necessary.

Two blasts. Two unconscious guards. No waiting.

But someone was going to have a headache in the morning.

Mara sheathed her blaster, tutting in disgust. Restraining herself from kicking them anywhere sensitive, she sighed. And then, throwing the strength of the Force into her muscles, she jumped.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, the universe, or George Lucas and his pots of money.

More's the pity.

Chapter Seven: Into the Breach

Just as Mara Jade was hissing directions to Leia in an air vent, Luke Skywalker was wishing that he could have stayed in his cell.

He breathed deeply as he sprinted down the corridor, Wedge in front, Hobbie alongside Luke, Wes behind. They ran in the general direction of Han, who was yelling something unrepeatable over his comm. Oh well.

Wedge had taken point, running headlong down the corridor containing Luke's cell, blasting indiscriminately.

The point, apparently, was to attract as much attention to them as possible.

The Rogues had never had any trouble doing that.

The other point was to keep people's minds off Han, who was making his (considerably quieter) way to the main deck. And the computer. All things considered, Han was really quite good with computers. Hyperdrives… Well, we won't go there. But he could certainly figure out what was going on with the Black Sun, and (he hoped) without them noticing.

This was why, after he had slipped into and then out of the main computer bay, he paused to set just a little charge to wipe everything out. The computer memory had been shielded from the electromagnetic pulse, but that was all to the good. However, blowing it up really tended to mess up stuff like life-support…eventually. Auxiliary power kicked in, of course, but you couldn't have everything.

At any rate, when he met up with the quartet of X-wing pilots, he had a self-satisfied smirk on his face that his wife, had she seen it, would almost certainly have described as smug.

As previously mentioned, Luke was running with the Rogues. He was also ruminating.

To be honest, this author thinks that ruminating while running for your life with three men who redefine the word 'reckless' is probably just _asking_ for trouble.

But there we go. Our Lukie, after all, has never been the most sensible of creatures. For example, he has a secret crush on Mara Jade.

Actually, that may be a signal of his sanity. If he had a _publicly confessed_ crush on Mara Jade, that would be grounds for committing him to a psychiatric ward for examination.

The fact that everyone _knows_ about this secret crush is neither here nor there. He hasn't admitted it yet.

Denial: not just a river in Egypt. But he doesn't know where that is, so we'll return.

'I…don't…think this is such a good idea' he panted.

The Rogues pointedly ignored him.

They'd had lots of practice.

'Leia…she's…' he tried. Sithspit, he was really out of shape. He'd only been running a…how long had he been running?

Hobbie rolled his eyes and they skidded to a halt. Wedge and Wes were gasping for air, but still looking around for something to shoot.

Luke knew that Leia was with Mara. He heard Mara yelling through their link at him. So that was ok, but where were they? Were they even safe?

'Lukie, we know Leia's pregnant. We also know she's fine. She's with Mara, and so far as we know, Mara does not want to kill your pregnant sister. So, I would say in summation that Leia is fine, as is the baby. However, we are most decidedly not fine. Are you getting the idea?' Wedge's eyes flicked, just for a second, to a spot over Luke's left shoulder.

'Oh.' Nothing more needed to be said. No lightsaber. No breath. And his blaster was probably useless.

Luke jumped.

Meanwhile, Mara was nudging Leia along with whispers of encouragement. She was rather struck at the strangeness of hissing comforting things to the daughter of Darth Vader. But no matter. After all, they were almost at the ship. Almost home free. Almost…

'_SITHSPIT!_' came a familiar voice, and Mara jumped so violently that she hit her head off the roof of the ventilation shaft. Wincing and rubbing her head, she picked up her communicator and was about to yell something not entirely complimentary when she felt a stab of fear and pain mingled. Luke was in trouble.

'Just fantastic,' she growled impotently, urging Leia to crawl faster. She slapped the comm. to her ear and shuffled on her knees and one hand down the horizontal shaft. Grimacing, she heard what appeared to be a battle royale going on. Rolling her eyes, she decided that, on balance, she should get Leia out first, and then worry about everything else later. Besides, she knew Luke. Those were his 'You hurt my sister, I'm going to Jedi-kick your sorry asses, lightsaber or no lightsaber!' screams.

It dawned on Jade that she perhaps knew Luke a little too well.

'Farmboy, you better be in serious trouble' she hissed.

To be fair, this author feels obliged to point out that, in fact, Luke was not exactly skipping merrily through fields of daisies at this point in time. His rather spectacular Force-assisted leap twisted him up and over the heads of the – he looked down and swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry – bodyguard droids with electrostaffs. Oh dear. He didn't know much about these types of droids, but the staffs were capable of blocking lightsabers. And also…he didn't know what the tiny four-legged droid was, but had he been familiar with the droids of the Old Republic he would have recognised a diminutive version of the dwarf spider droid. Only about three feet high, there were two of them clanking along the metal corridor at a surprising speed (with very small but nonetheless efficient-looking centrally-mounted laser cannons).

Wedge, Wes and Hobbie were smiling slightly, and started to shoot indiscriminately at the metal figures advancing on them. However, the unfortunate difficulty with blasters is that they only work if you get a) a clear shot, and b) something which is less substantial than a bodyguard droid or a mini-mini-mini-dwarf spider droid.

Luke decided that this was not going to work.

'Put down your weapons,' he said quietly, having landed neatly in front of the Rogues.

'No. Luke, we don't surrender. You of all people should know that.'

Sometimes Luke wondered about Wes. Was he really that brave, or was it just a bizarre mix of stupidity, stubbornness and st…st…something else that began with st?

'They'll kill us,' he pointed out quietly. 'I don't know about you, but if I die, Leia is going to drag me back from the afterlife and kick me into next Tuesday.'

Rather reluctantly, the Rogues dropped their arms.

Now at the rendezvous point, Mara was furious and scared. And so didn't take well to any kind of discussion. She grabbed Han by his collar, slammed him bodily against the wall, and hissed in his ear, 'Take the _Fire_. Get out with Leia now. Get to the _Falcon _and wait for us. I will take care of the boys, ok?'

Every word was very carefully measured. Calm, almost.

And that, more than anything else, made Han very afraid.

Well…it tied in first place with the fact that she was so worried that she was actually letting him at the controls of her pride and joy.

She unclipped two lightsabers from her belt, and ignited both with two twin _snap-hiss_es.

'I will take care of the boys.' Mara repeated. 'They've got themselves in trouble. Now, if the worst comes to the worst, use the information you've got, and – for pity's sake, stop snivelling, woman!'

Mara is not the most sympathetic of creatures, we know, but in her defence, she was trying very hard not to cry. Leia weeping silently in the corner was not really helping.

Leia snarled something at Mara, who immediately felt better.

Han, for his part, was bewildered. He had extracted himself with considerable efficiency from the computer mainframe, and, after a surprisingly short time in the vents, had met up with Mara and Leia to the words, 'Get a suit on, get onto my ship, and get her away from here. And no, this is not a discussion. We don't have time to discuss this in committee, so go!'

He gave a tiny smirk of recognition then, remembering the time he had uttered the words about a committee to someone not a million miles away.

This, unfortunately, tipped the already unstable Mara Jade over the edge. That was when she slammed him against the wall.

Quickly rejoining the human race, he grabbed Leia and kissed her rather violently on the mouth.

Grabbing Mara Jade around the waist, he kissed her roughly on the cheek and whispered, 'Thanks, kid,' before she headed once more, into the breach.

With considerable speed, Leia and Han put on the spacesuits and made their way onto the _Fire_.

Nobody argues with Mara when she's in that sort of mood.

Unfortunately, when she gets really angry, she's more prone to making mistakes. And getting overemotional. And making overemotional mistakes. You get the idea. And so it came to pass. The furious woman sliced through the walls of the station with nary a thought of the noise, heat, light, or feng shui considerations thrown up by another entrance.

And so she continued.

And, though she would never admit it (even to herself), she was crying the whole way.

Luke, on the other hand, was only getting calmer as the minutes went on. Of course, that was because he was completely ignoring the pacing figure of former Moff Flirry Vorru, who was gloating.

Loudly.

Wedge shifted position and Wes winced as his friend's elbow dug him in the ribs. Being tied up around a pillar was so…uncivilised. For one thing, they were all slumped on the ground, and for another, it meant they were all facing different directions.

That, as it turned out, was a terminal mistake.

However, Vorru is clearly not the brightest of creatures, so we will carry on regardless.

'You thought you could just charge in here, all guns blazing, and that would be enough to rescue your precious friends?' he hissed, malice dripping from every word. He attempted to look haughty and scornful. Sadly, it seemed his facial features didn't really stretch to this. To be frank, he looked rather constipated.

'Your precious sister,' he spat at Luke, who merely blinked up at him with a completely unconcerned expression, 'will have been executed by my guards. Her husband is probably being dragged to my prison as we speak. Sad, isn't it? How completely your plans fail?'

He drew himself up, clearly having rehearsed this part before.

'You thought you could just walk in here? So simple, so uncomplicated, so stupid. Of course I would be prepared for that. And the Rogues as well? My my, but you haven't changed a bit. I must admit, I wasn't surprised. I knew that you were at the Freedom Day celebrations. I half-expected you to come along on this foolhardy expedition. How silly. How silly. I didn't really want your sister, she was…an unfortunate casualty, but necessary to get General Solo here. After all, would he have come if it were only…you, Master Skywalker? His brother-in-law, to be sure, but nothing stings like taking the woman you love. Isn't that right, Skywalker?'

Luke couldn't help himself. He looked into the eyes of Vorru, and he flinched.

'Of course, we don't have your woman, do we Jedi Master? No. But then,' Vorru gave a rather cruel little smile, 'you don't have her either. Jedi Jade wouldn't come and rescue you, not if you were the last man on earth.'

Luke winced again, almost wishing it were true. Vorru was flying blind; he had no idea that Han and Leia were off his space station and safe, for now. He had certainly no idea that a certain redhead was melting her way through every wall on the ship to try and find Luke. Then again, Luke didn't know that either. Regardless, calm waves washed over the Jedi Master, and he sought to find peace.

Meanwhile, Mara was about to become keenly aware of why sneak-and-creep was a preferable method of entry than all-guns-blazing.

'Don't even think about moving.'

Sithspit.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: If it's on the Databank, I don't own it

Disclaimer: If it's on the Databank, I don't own it.

Chapter Eight:

The redhead turned, very, very slowly. Her lightsabers, glowing purple and blue, hummed gently at her sides as she did a slow-motion twirl to face her accuser.

She'd made a mistake.

She'd let her anger and her fear overwhelm her, and she'd made a mistake. The revelation hit her like an icicle in the gut.

This was bad.

This was really bad.

'Turn 'em off.'

Ah. Er…Mara's mind searched very very fast through her extremely short list of options, and she sighed. Her anger was draining away as quickly as it had arrived, and she was simply tired.

'I…I'm afraid' she began, not terribly smoothly, 'that there's a bit of a problem with that.'

'Oh, yeah?' grinned the human, smirking underneath his green helmet that left his face in full view (someone's been reading the Evil Overlord list). 'What problem would that be, then?'

Emboldened by the fact that she hadn't been shot yet, and thus ascertaining that Green Helmet Man wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, Mara smiled helplessly.

'It's a bit of a case of…' she hesitated, and shrugged in a helpless-female manner, 'Now you see me, and now…' the lightsabers clashed and held as Mara shut her eyes, feeling the scorching white light even through her lids, 'you don't!'

She threw the blue lightsaber in the air, drew her blaster and stunned the blinded Green Helmet Man in one fluid motion. The blue blade slashed at the ceiling and plummeted back to earth, where it was neatly caught. Mara shook her head, blinking to try and clear her vision, and resolved to do sneak-and-creep for the rest of her days.

However long they were likely to be.

Vorru was now just monologuing for the sake of it.

Honestly. You'd think he, arguably the best (or worst, I guess) the galaxy had to offer could do better. But no.

That's the problem with evil supervillains.

And aspiring supervillains.

They believe their own press.

'And no one will help poor helpless Lukie…' Vorru finished, looking hideously smug.

Wedge would have resisted the urge to punch him in the face…

But the restraints were doing the resisting for him.

He ground his teeth.

No one made fun of Skywalker except the Rogues.

That was one of The Rules.

And not those stupid dating ones either.

And then spotted something that made him, just for a second, forget every other welcome sight he had ever seen.

More welcome than a Corellian ale at a toe-curlingly, mind-numbingly boring New Republic function.

More welcome than getting back into his X-wing after a week of pushing paper.

More welcome than kicking off his boots at the end of a hard day.

Who'd have thought of Mara Jade with a murderous expression and two deadly-looking lightsabers could ever be a welcome, almost comforting sight?

Takes all sorts, I suppose.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine: PMS looks good on her…

**Chapter Nine: PMS looks good on her…**

Wedge resisted the urge to smile. Mara was in a mood. He didn't have to know her well to know that things were about to go very very badly for anyone between her and her One True Love.

Not that she would put it quite like that.

Obviously.

Wedge could see Mara, and Wes and Hobbie had half an idea that someone in their peripheral vision had bright red hair and two lightsabers.

This was something of a clue as to the identity of the woman still hidden to Vorru by the pillar.

See, I said the pillar was a bad idea.

But nobody ever listens to me, oh no. I'm so tragically underappreciated.

There were, it should be pointed out, two guards in the room.

And to her credit, Mara was not quite yet in a murderous mood. So two simultaneous Force-assisted throws later, they were both unconscious, struck over the back of the head with lightsaber butts.

Well, that got our quasi-supervillain's attention.

Unfortunately for him, he wasn't clever enough to do anything about it.

Then again, clever people don't mess with Mara Jade.

Good thing the Rogues, though bright, aren't clever.

'This is outrageous! Guards! Guards! Guards?'

Bad move, honey.

Poor quasi-supervillain.

'Give me one, just one, good reason not to blast you into next week,' Mara growled.

'Um…' While maybe not the best response, um is certainly what most people would say when standing before a woman with a lightsaber in her left hand, another clipped on her belt, and a blaster in her right hand. (Other responses include 'eek', 'meep', and a number of words that I'd prefer not to know about).

'Too late.'

There was the sound of a shot, and Vorru slumped to the floor.

Mara span on the spot, and several slashes later, the Rogues and Luke were free. Not even stopping to look at them, she pulled a few interesting pieces of equipment from places Luke wouldn't even think about considering the remote possibility of looking if he wanted to live, and secured Vorru to a control panel. There were too many law enforcement agencies: one of them could have him.

She turned back to the Rogues, still not looking any of them in the eye. 'With me' she hissed, and dived out the door. Quietly.

Within an extremely short space of time, they were back on the _Fire_, Mara had dragged them all into the med bay, prodded them, and asked them how many fingers she was holding up. They were fine, though Hobbie had bashed his head on a low doorway on the way out.

Unfortunately, nobody thought to check over Mara Jade.

Lightsaber crystals are strange. The light they produce is also strange. The reason that Jedi do not generally clash two lightsabers and hold them together for any length of time is because the light is very bright. If you look at it directly, it will blind you temporarily. If you haven't looked at it directly, it will still do funny things to you (though only if the lightsabers are both yours).

It'll just wait. A little while.

So it took all the way back to Han and Leia's Coruscant home until the real trouble started.

Han had kissed his wife, hugged his children like he would never let go, and then brought all his work down to the nursery so he could study the information from Vorru's computer databanks (and just _look_ at his kids. He'd been all but convinced he'd never see them again. It's nice to be wrong.)

Leia was sitting in the nursery too, datapad in hands, humming to the children.

The Rogues were invading the spacious white kitchen. And making it…considerably more crowded and colourful by their presence, and by their…err…"cookery". At least, that's what they called it.

A more accurate description would probably be 'utter carnage with various vegetables'.

'Don't do that! Now, it says _one tsp_. What's a tsp?'

'Beats me, Hobbie. Wes, hand me a tsp, would you?'

'Erm…here.'

'Wes, that's a whisk. You can't have a whisk full of anything, it'd fall out the sides!'

'What are we making anyway?'

'Um…'

So there was only Luke there when Mara fainted in the garden.

Only Luke who rushed to catch her, stumbled, and missed.

Oops.

Only Luke who heaved her up and carried her into the kitchen, tentatively brushing off vegetation.

'As much as you love the girl, Lukie, the phrase, "I could just eat her up" is generally considered to be a metaphorical one.' Wedge commented, his head deep inside a cupboard searching for the tsp.

'Though she might do well as a side dish' Wes added, pulling things out of drawers and considering them critically.

'Bit too stringy for a main course' Hobbie concurred, flicking through the book to see if there was a glossary.

Don't worry: nobody dies in this story.

Although the author is actually quite glad Mara is unconscious at this point: she dearly loves Wedge, Wes and Hobbie, and has no desire to see them mutilated.

Ahem. Mara Jade's voice in my head has pointed out that she is still passed out, and now on the kitchen table. Right. Ok.

As previously mentioned, clashing lightsaber blades for significant periods is A Generally Bad Idea. Not least because it's really bright.

Blue lightsabers are generally associated with Jedi Guardians. Blue lightsabers like to protect. Red lightsabers, generally being associated with the Sith and Otherwise Generally Nasty Types, are most likely to seek to destroy.

Purple lightsabers are often associated with the Sith, but not always. The fact they are a mix of red and blue was probably what lessened the effects on Mara, being not totally Of The Dark Side. Most Jedi don't notice the effects of clashes because you're fighting someone else: different saber, different mindset.

Mara Jade's purple lightsaber symbolised, among other things, her rather dark past. And her considerably lighter present. Her blue saber was…her link to Luke. And her link to a brighter future.

Oddly, the lightsabers decided to switch roles. They got bored of being one-trick swords, so were expanding their repertoires.

Purple lightsabers like to win. Blue lightsabers like to protect. Unfortunately for Mara, they just happened to represent two conflicting emotions in her.

This is why Jedi were celibate.

Also because they were usually kind of geeky, socially awkward, talked funny and were oddly dressed, and so had trouble getting dates.

But anyway.

Mara wanted to win. What she wanted to win, quite self-evidently, was Luke. What she wanted to protect? Also quite self-evidently, herself.

And him.

And his family.

And the Jedi order.

And…

Well, Mara has a protective streak. It's an extension of one of her biggest personality traits, which is stubbornness. Sorry. Tenacity.

Well, having explained all of this, we still have the business of one of Our Heroines lying on Leia's kitchen table.

Oh deary me.

Still, it'll be fine.

'Mara…Mara Jade, can you hear me?'

Luke tried speaking.

He tried through the Force.

It really didn't seem to be going anywhere.

Ah. I forgot to mention one little thing, didn't I? You see, the purple lightsaber is Mara's. But the blue saber was, among other people's, Luke's for quite a while.

He's linked to her through his lightsaber, and he can wake her up.

No, I'm not going to tell you how.

No, I won't tell him either.

Well, you'll just have to wait and see, won't you?


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I suck

**Chapter 10: Wonderful, the minds of the childlike…**

_Leia's journal: Day Two of Mara's illness:_

_As if the excitement (heh. Right) of being kidnapped, held to ransom, rescued, and taken home again weren't enough for one week…_

_Mara's ill._

Well, 'ill' is possibly the wrong term. It's just…she fainted, or fell asleep, and now she won't wake up. Or can't wake up.

_We're taking her to the med facility near here as soon as we sort out transport. I'm having a check-up too. Han insisted._

I told him at least four times that I'm fine, the baby is fine, everything is fine, and everyone is fine (except, obviously, Mara) but he wouldn't listen. Typical Han. Still, no harm in checking, I suppose, and if it calms him down, so much the better…

Mara was confused. She had been in the Solos' garden, just a second ago, she was sure. Now she was…nowhere. Very obviously nowhere. There were no lights, but she could see by the pale blue glow that was all around her. She appeared to be wearing white robes.

This was unusual. She liked dark colours. Especially black. Black was good. Black was…useful. It didn't show the dirt, for one thing. White was the most impractical colour ever. Everything showed up against white. It was very, very difficult to be taken seriously when there was a big sauce stain on your front.

She was babbling. In her mind, it would seem. Oh well, at least Luke wasn't there to hear it…she could hear Luke, almost, in her head. _Calm down, Mara. Don't panic. The Force will guide you._ It was a bit of a badly-tuned sound, almost like he was just out of range.

Some help that. Calming words were all very well and good, but yeesh! She needed to get out of here.

Err…right?

Of course she did.

Why?

Well, all right, it was dull and stuff, but it was safe here.

Ahem. The author would like to point out the following fact: since when has this woman ever done anything because it was safe?

Apparently, Mara reached the same conclusion fairly rapidly. Besides, people would be worried about her. This was possibly the first time she had ever come to this conclusion before, and the thought was at least a little cheering. Besides, it was ever so boring here.

It was time to plot, plan and scheme.

And not just for Mara.

'What do we do?' wailed Wes.

'What can we do? She's all…comatose and stuff.'

'Don't be ridiculous Wedge. We're Rogues. Of course there's something we can do.'

'Right then, oh great and powerful Hobbie, tell us your plan.'

'I'll ignore the sarcasm Wes, but only cos you're going to LOVE this.'

Your author is now quite seriously concerned, but never mind. Hobbie has, in fact, hit on a plan which comes remarkably close to the truth of the thing.

'She loves Luke. Luke loves her. Thus, Luke is the only one who can get her back. This is a psychic coma, not your run-of-the-mill kind. He has to go find her, in wherever-she-is, and bring her back. But he can't do it alone. We have to help.'

'We do?' Wes amended the statement quickly. 'I mean, of course we do, but how?'

Wedge frowned. 'A regular Force reaching-out trick didn't work. A deep trance did, but it was so faint Luke couldn't do anything. He needs more power…'

'And we can give it to him!' Hobbie declared, grinning. 'We're his friends. We can give him our strength and send him into the dark depths of the mind of a Jade, and he can pull her out!'

Wedge was staring. 'Hobbie, since when did you get so knowledgeable about the Force, the female gender, and…everything?'

'Chat shows. Remember when I had that X-wing crash? I spent three months in bed with nothing to do but watch chat shows and infomercials. You pick a lot up in three months. Or you go crazy.'

'Or both,' the other two Rogues muttered.

Hobbie, magnanimously ignoring this comment, continued. 'Mara is a tough girl…um, woman. But she's scared. She's scared of Luke, but I'll bet he's the only Jedi strong enough to break into her Force coma thingamajig.'

Wedge put his hands to his head, despairing. 'This is sounding like a bad soap opera, Hobbie.' Your author is inclined to agree. 'Wes, Hobbie…you are the craziest people I've ever met.' Wedge looked as if he were about to roll his eyes. With serious restraint, he stopped himself. 'What do we know about Force psychic comas, how to get into women's heads, and all of that jazz?'

'Well, to be honest, not a lot.'

Too right, Wes.

'But we're going to try and help anyway, and you know why?'

Wedge already knew the answer to this one. 'Because we're Rogues, and Rogues stick together.'

This is going to be interesting.

Luke sighed heavily. This was definitely not good. Mara, the woman he lo…err…cared deeply about, was in serious trouble. Having taken her to the nearest med facility, and having been told that no, they couldn't wake her up and no, they didn't know why she was asleep, he was at his wit's end. His deepest trances served only to tell him that she was alive and apparently unhurt, but that her mind and her body didn't seem to be on speaking terms.

Han was currently wandering another part of the facility. He was agitated. Leia was an ocean of calm as she went to be checked over to see if she and the baby were all right. Han wished fervently that he shared her confidence. Fliry Vorru had been picked up by the New Republic, and was awaiting trial in the most secure facility they could lay hands on. This was somewhat reassuring to Han, but he was still concerned.

Now, however, he was mostly concerned about Mara. Traipsing the white halls, striding past rooms of, among others, Bothan and human mothers, he came back to where he started. Leia was waiting, beaming at him.

The relief was palpable.

Luke, on the other hand, was getting more and more worried.

If I told you the Rogues were about to allay his fears, you wouldn't believe me.

You'd be right not to believe me.

'Luke, my boy,' Wedge announced, clapping a hand on the Jedi Master's shoulder, 'it's going to be all right. Listen to your Uncle Wedge, now.'

Never a good start.

'We're going to give you something to go in and retrieve Mara from wherever she is,' Wes announced.

'Our strength,' supplied Hobbie, helpfully.

Luke was taken aback. Well, first he was confused.

So they explained.

Then he was incredulous.

THEN he was taken aback. Accuracy is very important, you know.

Anyway.

The Rogues explained the plan.

It was crazy.

It was outrageous.

It was extremely unlikely to work.

It was their only hope.

It was going to have to do.

Luke explained the plan to Leia and Han. They were confused, incredulous and taken aback too. Leia offered to help, 'You'll need a Force-sensitive, Luke, not the Rogues,' but he shook his head.

'No, they're right. They're my friends, and I can draw strength from them. And besides,' he lowered his voice, 'if this all goes wrong, I need you to be able to pull them back. If I don't have the strength to return…'

'You will.' It was a command.

'But if I don't,' Luke insisted, 'pull the Rogues out. The break in the link will mean I can't sustain my presence in wherever Mara is, and I'll come back too. But make sure Wes, Wedge and Hobbie are safe. All right?'

Leia relented, unwillingly. 'Fine. Just be careful, all right?'

'I will be.'

He better be.

'He'll be fine.'

I hope you're right, Wedge.

'So do I, miss. So do I…'


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I own nothing, yadda yadda yadda

**Chapter Eleven: Carry on up the **_**Falcon**_**!**

Now, where were we?

Well, Luke and the rest of the Rogues had decided to try a Force trance. In which the Rogues would lend Luke their strength to try and reach Mara, wherever she was. We had concluded that it had all gone a bit holodrama, but that there didn't seem to be anything else for it.

I wouldn't ask why this was so. I mean, the Force is a dreadfully fickle entity.

Where is Mara? That's a little trickier to explain. It's blue. And fairly dull. And she's wearing impractical clothing. Oh well, never mind. We'll come back to her in a moment.

Mara's body, if not her mind, is currently in residence on the _Millennium Falcon_, as are Luke, Wes, Wedge, Hobbie, Leia and Han. Han insisted on his being present, if only because he knew the Rogues and didn't entirely trust them with his precious ship. They were on the _Falcon_ because…well, as I mentioned previously, space is a big place. And a big place to hide when performing bizarre Jedi rituals on unconscious women. I mean, the Holonet would have a field day.

But wait. There's Luke, setting up cushions with Han and Leia for what they are about to attempt. But where are the Rogues?

'Quiet, Wes! Do you want to get caught?'

'Hobbie! You're jamming that into my back, it _hurts_!'

'Shh! Both of you!'

The three Rogues are holding a secret meeting. In the fresher.

Less a meeting of the minds, more a meeting of the…never minds.

Wedge was the first to start. 'All right, Hobbie, you seem to have taken up the role as the expert on the Force related bits of this. I personally think you're watching too many talk shows, but still.'

Hobbie grinned. 'I'm not really an expert, Wedge. But we're taking on the combined might of Mara, Luke and the Force, and we're going to need a plan. But, as you well know, they are no match for our cunning…'

'Bravery.'

'Good looks.'

'Good taste.'

'And impeccable timing.'

Wes had been silent for…well, a pretty short period of time, and Wedge noticed this unprecedented event. 'Something on your mind?'

'I have a plan.'

Wedge groaned. 'I've heard that before.'

'And again, Wedge, ye of little faith, you're going to love it.'

'Let's hear it then!' said Hobbie, with an 'I am sceptical' look plastered over his face like, well, plaster.

'Trust me, it can't fail! And all we need are Luke, Mara Jade, a shimmersilk dress, an eopie, and three gallons of hot chocolate.'

There was a moment of stunned silence after Hobbie's revelation.

Your narrator is also lost for words.

The moment was broken when Hobbie hissed, 'Someone's coming! Quick!'

There were frantic scurrying sounds as the Rogues attempted to simultaneously extricate themselves from the fresher and look nonchalant as Han rounded the corner. He eyed them with some suspicion. 'You ready?'

'Of course.' The Rogues chorused, smiling innocently. Shaking his head and looking slightly nervous, Han led them to Luke.

It's probably for the best, to be honest. Your narrator is really quite scared of what would happen if they ever thought about considering the possibility of ever, ever, thinking about doing what Wes had been planning…

Let's just say that the universe would not be big enough to hide them.

Ahem.

Han sat down, and the Rogues took hands with the minimum of fuss, and remarkably little comment. The seriousness of the situation seemed to have been neatly underlined by the worry lines on Luke's face, and rammed home by the prone form of Mara Jade on the floor.

Leia, though not being the most domestic of women, had insisted on sweeping the deck, shooting down incredulous comments from her husband with, 'You never know what she might catch on your floor!' and more vigorous sweeping. As a result, she was dusty and tired, her white Senate robes more beige than snowy. Oh well. Stress gets to everyone in different ways, and despite the fact that her earliest memory of Mara was sitting with her newborn twins while Mara explained that she was going to kill Leia's brother, she was really quite fond of her.

Luke et al are settling themselves in for a big old Force trance.

But for now, gentle reader, let us return to Mara. Who is, after all, all on her own.

Except…she isn't, exactly.

Every lightsaber is unique. Each comes with its own history, sometimes with its own myths and legends. Mara's blue lightsaber came with unexpected guests.

Its previous owners.

To be specific, the echoes of its previous owners. The ones who were one with the Force (i.e. dead), anyway. Which is how Mara's peace and quiet in the strange blue place was rudely interrupted before she even had time to panic.

'Master…where are we?' A boyish voice interrupted her thoughts.

'Oh no…'

'What?'

'We're in the Etheral Realm, Anakin.'

'Fabulous,' said Mara drily, spinning around to try and spot the source of the voices, 'the Etheral Realm. How are you here, and more to the point how am I here? And, just as a side note, where is here and who are you anyway?'

Two figures in brown Jedi robes appeared, and the redhead immediately felt uncomfortable. Not 'run away danger' uncomfortable, more like 'impending awkward situation' uncomfortable. Mara apparently not only has a danger sense but an embarrassment sense too.

'Mara Jade!' called the taller of the figures. He threw back his hood, and features bearing a marked resemblance to Luke's came into view.

'Who's asking?' she replied briskly. There was no way this could be good.

'Anakin Skywalker,' he replied, 'but I'm not surprised you don't recognise me. I wore a lot more black when I knew you.'

'Not to mention breathing apparatus,' the other figure chipped in. As Mara edged closer through the unending blue (it was really starting to give her a headache) she saw that the smaller figure was a young brown-haired man who beamed happily at her. 'Obi-Wan Kenobi, at your service, but you can call me Ben. I've always thought Ben was a lovely name, by the way, if you're looking for boys' names…'

'Back up a step there.' Mara was shaking her head, completely at sea. 'Anakin Skywalker as in Luke's FATHER, as in Darth VADER? And Obi-Wan Kenobi as in Mentor to Skywalkers everywhere?' Clearly she was hallucinating. This was just too bizarre to be real.

'We're not real, you know.' Obi-Wan chipped in quickly. She narrowed her eyes at him, wondering if mind reading was a Jedi talent. 'Well…not exactly real anyway. Nothing here is real. You aren't real here either.'

'Here,' Mara sighed slowly, 'being the,' she crooked her fingers, '"Etheral Realm", correct?'

The Jedi nodded.

'Which is?'

'The Etheral Realm is…infinite.'

'I always thought infinity would be black' Mara commented, rather flippantly.

'From the outside, it's blue.'

Trying not to think about this, she stuck to the obvious. 'Why…how…are you here?'

Anakin looked a little shifty at this. 'Your sabers. They brought us, and you, to this place.'

'WHAT?' Mara yelled, finally at the end of her patience as the shock and awe wore off. 'I'm in the garden, having a perfectly nice walk, and then next thing I know I'm here in this endless sea of blue with two dead guys, and you're telling me it's because of my LIGHTSABERS?'

'Umm…' Obi-Wan was slightly scared now, 'Yes. But we can explain why!'

'We can?' Anakin muttered out of the corner of his mouth. Obi-Wan shushed him, quickly.

'We can, of course we can. Your lightsabers brought you here. It only happened because you have two of them. Did they…has anything unusual happened with them? Had you been using them for anything other than fighting?'

'Err…' Mara struggled to remember. 'No?'

Anakin had a brainwave. 'Have you been using them against each other?'

A light went on.

'Yes! Well,' Mara amended hastily, 'sort of. I used their combined light to get out of a…sticky situation. Would that have anything to do with it?'

Judging from the 'significant' looks which passed between the Jedi, Mara figured she'd hit on the reason. 'But what would that have to do with…with all this?' she wondered, half to herself. 'Here I am in this ridiculous place, because I held them together for a while to escape certain doom?'

Obi-Wan and Anakin were having a rapid whispered conversation and were ignoring her, so Mara threw up her hands in defeat and sat down.

As it turns out, you can sit down on…blue.

'The blue saber you have is Anakin's. And I held on to it for a while, so it has memories of me too.'

'Memories?'

Anakin grinned at her. 'You know how people say, "oh, if this ship could talk, I wonder what it would say?" Well, inanimate objects can't talk, per se. But they can remember. And sometimes they can communicate.'

'In this case,' Obi Wan explained, 'your blue saber is communicating through us.'

Mara was…perplexed. Well, technically she understood what was going on, but this was a little beyond the pale, even for her.

There was something that didn't make sense though.

'My blue lightsaber is talking through you. What about the purple one, then?'

'That would be me.'

Mara Jade turned around, and groaned. 'Who. Are. You?'

A woman with long brown hair, brown eyes and a kind expression appeared, in long purple robes.

'Padme? What are you doing here?'

'Oh, you have to be kidding me.' Mara was attempting to pace, trying not to look down, as she wasn't really standing on anything. 'Padme? Luke's mother? What, exactly, do you have to do with anything, 'anything' particularly referring to your acting as defence counsel for my lightsaber?'

The tiny woman sighed, and shook her head. 'Don't ask me, darling child. I don't get it either. But this seems to be a family affair…'

Meanwhile, back on the _Falcon_, everything was getting underway…


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve: Carry me back to Old Corellia…

Meanwhile, back on the _Falcon_, things were getting underway…and everyone knows what that means.

The Rogues were squirming like naughty children while Leia settled herself onto the floor. They were sitting cross-legged in a circle, with Leia a little distance off. Han was slouched on a nearby seat, one elbow propped on the holochess table. Autopilot was engaged for a sublight jaunt to somewhere far away. Very far away. A nice relaxing vacation for the Solos…and their children. Did I mention the twins were playing in one of the opened smuggling compartments? Luke was sitting beside the prone Mara Jade in the middle of the little circle, his mouth tight with concern and his eyes grim. He took Mara's right hand in his left, and touched his right hand to her head, brushing the red-gold hair gently behind her ear.

'Everyone ready?' Luke enquired. There were solemn, concentrated nods all round. Even the twins seemed to sense the importance of the moment, and stopped playing to peer out at Uncle Luke. 'Then here goes…'

The threesome joined hands, and closed their eyes, and Luke began.

'Concentrate. Listen only to the sound of my voice. Feel your breath in your lungs. Feel the calm in your innermost being. Feel your strength, like a solid core. Take that core in your mind. Hear my voice, and see me in your mind. Bear me up on your strength. Hold me there. Breathe deeply, and bear me up.'

Luke felt their strength flowing into him, and marvelled inwardly at their willingness to give of themselves this way. He searched, trying to sense Mara's presence…no, he couldn't feel her…but there! Her lightsaber, his old one, and her essence linked to it. He anchored himself to that essence, all fire and light and the scent of chocolate, and felt the Rogues carry his essence towards hers. He saw himself borne aloft, out of the _Falcon _and into the blackness of space. He rose faster and faster, dizzied but holding tightly to her presence, shining ahead of him. He saw an archway before him, reached out to it…felt the cool stone of the surface. He gathered himself together, and stepped through into…overwhelming blue. He spun on the spot, surprised, and saw that the archway had disappeared. Nothing but blue in every direction. There was no sense of distance or time or proportion.

He was nowhere.

*

Back on the _Falcon, _all Han and Leia could see was the silent tableau of the Rogues, Luke, and Mara, very still. The only sound was that of their slow, steady breathing. Han caught Leia's eye and gave her the thumbs up.

'What now?' he mouthed, shrugging his shoulders to illustrate his words.

'We wait' she replied, 'and see.'

*

Mara was still trying to come to terms with the bizarre reunion.

'Hold on' Padmé said, smiling but looking a little puzzled, 'how do you know who I am?'

'Your daughter really, really takes after you, Mrs Skywalker,' Mara replied, propping her chin on her left hand. 'How do I know your name? Actually…I don't know.' She decided to come back to that thought.

'Let me see if I've got this right,' she continued, her other hand massaging her temples in agitation, 'You…are Anakin Skywalker, a.k.a. Darth Vader, and you are Obi-Wan Kenobi…Ben, and you are here representing my blue lightsaber, because both of you owned it for a while.' She turned. 'And you…are Padmé…Amidala (this knowing things I don't know is weird), wife of the aforementioned Anakin Skywalker, mother of Luke and Leia, and here representing, for reasons known only to the Force, my purple lightsaber. Except that they are representations of me, so you've all turned up to this freakshow as…aspects of my personality?' Mara groaned. 'Great. What is this, _Days of our Jedi_?'

Obi-Wan grinned cheerfully. 'I don't know about…' he paused, searching for the relevant information, 'bad holo-dramas but as to the rest…sort of. We are here, and then again we aren't. We know Padmé's name, thus you do too. We are one with the Force, so we know…everything, potentially. So we're not so much manifestations of your personality as…avatars. Outside representation to discuss the matter at hand.'

'Which is?'

'That you are in love with my son' Anakin said dryly, 'and that you're in such deep denial that your lightsabers have taken to expressing aspects of your personality.'

Mara sat there with her mouth hanging open as the tall, thin man continued, 'So, when you used them against each other, the emotions they are expressing came to a head. And so you end up here until it's sorted out, because you're throwing out the cosmic balance too much.'

There have been, and will be, very few occasions in her life where Mara Jade is completely and utterly at a loss.

This, unfortunately for her, is one of them.

And so they stood there, motionless, as she processed all of this. Time, after all, has no meaning in the Ethereal Realm, and it's not like they had anything better to do.

'This is crazy' she said, finally. 'I am not…I do not…love the Farm boy. I don't. It's patently ridiculous.'

'You,' Padmé said calmly, 'have fought for my son. You have fought against him, true, but you have fought alongside him, and you have fought for him when he could not fight for himself. And as the representative of the side of you that likes to win, I would further point out that you _want_ to win him, and that you already _have _won him. And the reason there is one of me and two of them is that you must deal with the voices that cry out for the need to protect yourself and him, and they are greater than the voice which tells you that it is okay to love, and be loved.'

Deciding to ignore 'you already have won him', Mara turned to Ben and Anakin. 'Why you?'

'Because I can't seem to go anywhere without my former Padawan by my side, and vice versa. And because he can tell you, as Padmé can, what it is like to fight for the love that you want but cannot have. And how it can corrupt you, and how it can destroy you, and how you can prevent that.'

'Not so sure we're a great model there' Anakin muttered. Padmé smiled, a winsome, sad smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

'Not that we're here not to tell you to go for it, you understand' Anakin clarified hastily, 'but because we are a reminder of what you can lose. Obi-Wan is a reminder of what the life of a Jedi was like before the Empire. And I…'

'He's a manual of how-not-to-do-it' Padmé interrupted, now laughing.

'I feared loss. I tried to protect myself, and protect the one I loved. And it cost me everything I was and everything I had. You knew me, Mara, you know this about me. I was nothing until Luke came into my life, and even then…' He broke off. 'You are trying to protect Luke by keeping away, and it's just as bad for you.'

There was silence for a moment, and then Mara spoke again. Her voice was soft, and almost pleading. There was nobody else to hear them. She could speak here. So why was she still afraid?

'I can't love him. I mustn't.'

'Why?' Padmé prodded. The answer was a long time coming, but Mara was nothing if not painfully honest. Even to spectral projections of people who died years ago, who were questioning her outside of time and reality.

'Because it hurts.'

'But he loves you.'

'But he'll **die**, Padmé!' Mara shouted, standing up again, her words absorbed in the endless nothing, 'He'll die and I won't be able to stop it, or he'll get hurt and I won't be there, or he'll find someone else, someone better and he'll** leave**. Or I'll die, and he'll be miserable. I can't be responsible for that kind of misery.'

She started to pace. 'What if he wanted children? How can I take responsibility for a life? What if something happened to the child? How could we ever forgive ourselves? For not having been there?'

She paused for breath, and her voice was softer now. 'How can I be there for him? How could I be a partner to him? I'm not that kind of woman. I'm not the kind who could follow him around the galaxy. I have my own life, and he has his. And even if this weren't the case, there are **rules** about Jedi!'

'And look where it got us' Obi-Wan interrupted. 'Look what it did. It shattered good men and women with ungovernable longing, people who loved their whole life through but couldn't do anything because of duty and the Code. No, Mara, life is messy, and love is messy, but you cannot force celibacy on anyone, they must choose it for themselves. If they must choose between love and the life they feel called to, then they will be wrenched apart, because no matter what happens, there's always, 'what if?' and the possibility of the other. We chose our own paths, Mara, from what we had available. And you must choose yours. But do not choose from fear, or some misguided protective streak. Choose from love, and honour, and grace.'

'Grace.' Mara's tone grew bitter. 'Gratis. Something offered free. But just because it's a free gift doesn't mean it doesn't cost something!' she protested, slumping back to the 'ground', her face in her hands.

'The cost is borne by the giver, or it wouldn't be grace.' Padmé said softly. 'And true love is gracious. It doesn't ask for anything in return. But sometimes it receives. How many times do we have to tell you, child? He loves you. And you love him. And there is no reason in the universe or beyond it to keep you apart, except that you are afraid.'

There was no response to this. The shot had gone home, and Mara was thinking.

A soft sound in the endless nothing made her look up, eyes blurry with tears.

'He is coming for you,' Anakin said gently. 'He will always come for you, if you let him.'

'And we must go' Obi-Wan finished. 'It would not do to see him again. He is looking for you, not for us. Remember what we have said. Hold on to what you have thought here. They are thoughts that you can have elsewhere.'

As the three figures faded from sight, Luke padded into view. Seeing Mara, he ran to her, calling her name and picking her off the floor to swing her around. She laughed, in spite of herself, and blinked the tears back before he set her down.

'Good to see you too, Farm boy,' she murmured flippantly, and sighed. This was harder than she'd thought. 'I'm ready to go home now.'

He took her hand, reaching out for the archway, the Rogues, and reality once again. 'I'll carry you home.'

*

A/N: I know, I know! Not a particularly funny chapter and I suck at updating. But I just had a brainwave while in my sick bed, and I had to update. Unbeta'd, so sorry for any mistakes, but I hope you like it.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen: Home truths.

Disclaimer: Still don't own it. I'M BACK! Albeit for a short chapter. You know what my head is like. Still. Confession time, everyone. Places, please...

_'I'll carry you home'._

Mara bit her lip, steeled herself, and made her decision.

'Stop.' Luke was reaching for her hand, and stilled, confused.

'Mara…' he began, but she cut him off.

'I love you.' The words came so suddenly, and so naturally, that she wondered inwardly at them, but carried on, holding up a hand to stop whatever Luke was about to say. Mara started to pace on the endless blue, back and forth, unable to look up. Unable to look him in the eye.

'I say this here, and now, not because I want you to be awkward; the Force knows you have enough trouble in your life. But because…I'm explaining this badly. I love you: I know I said that already. And I am here for you. Regardless, ok? You, Farmboy, in all your stupid, irritating, incessant principled…ness, you have made yourself such that I couldn't **not** love you.' She'd gathered up a head of steam now, she couldn't stop if she tried. She couldn't look him in the eye, but carried on, almost desperate to get this out.

'And it's been so long since we met, and a while since I swore I would kill you for what you did…and you never held that against me…oh, I'm going off the point again.

'I am here, if you want me. If you don't, well, I'll have to live with that, and I'll live with the awkwardness too. But if you do, then…well, I don't really know what happens then. I don't really do relationships. But we can figure it out, I guess. And I know,' she glanced at him, and gestured for him to be silent, for he was still trying to speak, confusion etched on his face, 'I'm getting ahead of myself, but here I am. All that there is of me, except my body, I guess, it's somewhere else. You are my friend. As my friend I love you, I would fight for you, I would die for you. I guess…I guess that's all. I've said what I have to. I'm done. Take me home, please.'

She stopped, finally, spent, still unable to look up, in case…in case it had been in vain, all of it.

The seconds stretched out, and she felt every one. Time in this place was fluid, and it seemed to have slowed to a crawl.

'Mara,' he said, and nodded to show she was listening, 'Mara, look at me, please.'

Closing her eyes, setting her jaw, she turned to face him. Her head was down, and tears were threatening. She couldn't do it. Couldn't see the sympathy in those eyes, the pity, when he turned her down.

A hand reached under her chin, tilting her head up, ever-so-gently, and her eyes snapped open in surprise. Luke just stared at her. But it was not pity in his eyes.

'I love you, Mara,' he began, and her mouth dropped open. Schooling her expression, she watched, her stomach lurching, as he continued. 'I've loved you for…I don't know how long. But I know when I realised. You came and you saved me, all of us, from you didn't know what. I called on you, and you answered. You came for me. You always come for me.'

'I would never do anything else,' she said simply. 'You're a friend.' He smiled.

'One of the many reasons I love you.' There was another pause, as if everything were holding its breath.

'I don't really know how to deal with this,' he continued, frowning in thought. 'I don't think that beginning a relationship in the glare of publicity is a really good idea. I know how this goes, but I'd rather…keep you to myself for a little while. I don't want to tell even Leia at the minute. I'd rather keep the pressure off you, until you're ready to face them all.'

Her relief must have been evident; he grinned a little. 'I won't subject you to the ministrations of my sister until you want it.'

She nodded. 'Okay.'

He reached for her hand. 'Still, Mara Jade, I think it's time I took you home.'

She paused, and then reached out to grasp his hand with hers. 'I'm ready.' He reached out, took her hand…and it felt like the world was rushing back. They clung together as they raced faster and faster, down, down, down…

Back on the Falcon, nobody was particularly happy. The Rogues had been in a trance for too long for Leia's liking, and even the children were getting restless. Leia was five time parts from calling the medics when Wes began to stir. Then Hobbie and Wedge, looking dizzy and slightly nauseous.

Luke was awake and aware, but kept his eyes shut, searching out Mara's presence. Had he got her? Was she there? The warmth of her sense next to him calmed him, and Leia watched, a little bewildered, as the pair on the floor opened their eyes at the same time, sat up with eerie synchronicity, and said simultaneously, 'Is everyone all right?'


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Error. Redo from start.

There was utter silence.

But not for very long.

It was broken simultaneously by everyone else in the room, who yelped (Leia), shouted (Han) cheered (Rogue Squadron), and squealed (the twins). Much back-slapping, hugging and congratulating was done in very short order.

Fighting to emerge from the scrum, Luke panted, 'I really need to…take Mara to the medbay. Check her vitals…and that sort of thing.'

It was generally agreed that this was an excellent idea. Luke offered Mara a hand, and hauled her up from the floor. He noticed the slight unsteadiness in her legs, how her hand shook a little, and hustled her off the bridge and down the dimly-lit corridors in silence, a worried pucker between his eyebrows.

Once safely in the confines of the med bay, Luke pulled out a handheld scanner and gave Mara a cursory sweep. She stretched out on the bed, waiting as the room came into sharper focus and her head stopped doing the Corellian quickstep. Luke, glancing up, met her eyes for the first time since their return.

'You certainly seem to be all right' he commented, glancing at the results, 'and your Force presence doesn't seem diminished. If anything, it's stronger than it was before you…left.' He tailed off, putting his hands behind his back and shuffling a little, like an awkward adolescent. A silence fell, its awkwardness measuring a 6.4 on the OhNo Scale.

'I don't…'

'I'm sorry…'

Another pause.

'You go first.' Mara offered, uncharacteristically shy. Force, this was awkward.

'I'm sorry… if I took advantage of you, or your relief, or…I was so glad to see you…' Luke began. Mara shook her head, then stopped abruptly as the dancing in her skull began an encore.

'Why should you be sorry? If anything I should be.' She put a hand to her head, wincing at the pain. 'I put you in a dreadful position, Farmboy…I mean, how could you say no? You might have said anything to get me home, so…' she winced again, but not from her headache, 'if that was all, if you just wanted to leave…say so now. I won't blame you.'

'Mara…' Luke breathed, the name almost a prayer, 'NO. I would never do that. You know that. At least,' he added, somewhat hurt, 'I hope you know that.'

She blanched. 'I didn't mean, oh…this is all going WRONG. Why can't it be simpler? I want it...I want it so much to be simpler.'

He flinched at that, dropping his gaze. 'I can't make a simple life, Mara.' He met her eyes again. 'But can we...?' The question, so earnest, so hesitant, never finished. And it broke her. Mara's whole body was trembling with the words _If I wanted a simple life, I'd never be friends with you, stupid! I just want __**this**__ to be simple! _ But that wouldn't come. All she could think was, _He wants a simple life, and he can't have one with me._

**Can we try anyway? **The question he couldn't finish. The question he was barely brave enough to start.

He reflected, later, that if he had been brave enough to finish, things would have been much less complicated. For all her Force powers, Mara Jade was not a mind reader. All she had heard was _Can we have a simple life? _and it broke her heart to answer truthfully.

'No.' It came out as a whisper. 'We can't.' Mara was resigned. _I can't give you what you want. I don't even know what it is._

He nodded, an odd hollow feeling in his chest, and put a hand on her shoulder. She flinched, ever so slightly, but looked up at him as he said, 'I wouldn't want to give you anything less than the world, Mara. And I don't know if I can deliver on that.' With that, he walked away.

She didn't start crying until the hatch sealed behind him.

Was it just her, or was that the _stupidest_ thing that had ever happened to her? Definitely not the worst, but, equally definitely, the most pointless and dumb.

'Blast it, Skywalker' she growled at the hatch, scrubbing the tears away, 'I thought I was supposed to be the commitment-phobe.'


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Fallout boy.

It didn't take Mara a long time to get a grip on herself. Long practice meant that however fragile she was feeling, she would remain outwardly calm. This...this was not too different. So maybe she looked a little ragged around the edges. Maybe her posture was just a little too stiff, her smiles a little too forced, her humour a little too sharp. Maybe her feelings would be blatantly obvious to one person in particular, even with her strongest mental shields.

But her friends would forgive her, she knew, because (and oh, how it hurt to know it) they loved her.

And they still had a mystery to solve.

So, after a long (and epically awkward) journey back to the Solo residence, they held a council of war at the dinner table. The Rogues adjourned to the guest bedrooms to crash out (time differences were a killer) and the Solos, Luke and Mara sat and ate. And wondered.

Han waved his fork. 'None of this makes any sense.'

Everyone thought about this. And chewed.

'Point 1: Why couldn't you Jedi-folk sense the people who kidnapped you? Point 2: Why kidnap you? Point 3: err...see point 1?'

Luke was calm. Eerily calm. Mara suspected that she wasn't the only one who could put up a good front.

'I wondered about that.' Quickly, he outlined to Mara the specifics of his and Leia's capture, and she frowned.

There was more silence, except for the chewing.

Then Leia spoke.

'I know why. Because until that moment, they did not exist as threats. They were just people, milling about, until they were... triggered, somehow?'

Everyone took a moment to consider this.

'Triggered how? Triggered by Vorru?' Han enquired, frowning. 'Triggered to capture you? Why? What's the advantage? And, once again, how?'

'Surprise?' Mara suggested. 'To you and them, admittedly, but once you're done, you can just - flick! - flip the switch again, and they're out of the count. Or confessing to law enforcement.'

'Like hypnosis.' Han sounded skeptical, and Mara could understand why.

'It would explain the facts,' Luke suggested gently. 'Vorru wants us...for something. Something that...oh. Oh.'

He lapsed into silence again.

But Leia had caught his train of thought.

'Did anyone else think that we got out of there too easily?'

'Easy, you call that easy?' Han shot back, and she smiled at him. Sometimes she really did think every day and every crisis was just a variation on a theme.

Luke had come to a tentative conclusion.

'Let me try again. Vorru wants us for something. To DO something. Something we'd never do by ourselves. He has worked out a way to...call it hypnotise people. So that, at a trigger, they switch into... kidnap mode, take us out with surprise completely on their side. We were in Vorru's hands for hours. We weren't awake for all of them. We got out very, very easily, relatively speaking. What's the angle?'

'You think you've been hypnotised.' It wasn't a question. Mara was staring, very uncomfortably, at Luke, and he shifted uneasily.

'Maybe.'

'A suggestion implanted in your unconscious mind. It could already be taking effect. Or...next time Leia makes a speech. Or when you go to court over the kidnapping...' Mara was frightened by the possibilities.

Very frightened.

'What do we do?'

'We don't even know if that is the case, yet.' Luke tried to reassure her, but Mara had a bad feeling about this. A very bad feeling. She pushed their 'relationship problems' (what a phrase!) out of her mind completely. Focus on the problem at hand. A friend is in trouble. Fix it.

'Then we need to find out. How do we slice your minds, Skywalker?'

Han stood up so fast Mara thought he'd been shocked. 'Nobody is slicing Leia's mind. Or Luke's! They aren't computers that have a bug, for cryin' out loud!'

'Let's all get some sleep,' Luke said calmly, and Mara tried not to smirk. Trust Jedi PeaceWalker to try and calm everyone down.

'Sure,' said Han, sounding less grumpy, and then, 'sure. You're probably beat, kid: get some rest. Problems will still be here in the morning.' Leia smiled, and they left hand in hand, hips bumping together.

Luke stood, too, and he and Mara silently collected the plates, and took them into the kitchen to put in the washer.

'I'm sorry,' he said quietly, and she tried to smile.

It wasn't altogether successful.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen: Once more, dear Rogues, into the breach

Author's Note: Ladies and gentlemen, you might want to put this on Story Alert if you like it, because updates are coming (in a random, but frequent fashion) over the next...er...month?

So help me I will FINISH this story. I just finished the first draft of my original fiction novelette and believe me, people, I am on FIRE.

...

They retired to the spare rooms, and tried to sleep. Which wasn't altogether successful either, but there we are.

Mara woke up ridiculously early, as she usually did.

Mara woke up to the sensation of Luke (because the Force presence was as familiar to her as her own reflection) stroking her arm, which was altogether rarer.

'Shhh' he whispered, putting a finger to his lips as her eyes snapped open. She blinked, blearily, a couple of times, and then nodded, silently.

Once she had pushed herself up into a sitting position, Mara gestured pointedly towards the door. Luke looked slightly confused, but after a moment he nodded back, understanding. She rolled her eyes, grabbed her clothes, and headed for the 'fresher.

It didn't take long before she was creeping down to the Solo living room behind him, feeling altogether ridiculous. What was she doing, sneaking about in her friends' house at some ridiculous hour of the morning?

_And whar were the Rogues doing there?_

'Morning, Sleeping Beauty' whispered a grinning Wes, and she put a hand, self-consciously, to her messy hair. Then she got control of herself, and snapped it back down again. This was most definitely not the time for shyness.

'What are you doing, Janson? In fact, what are all of you doing up at this time?'

Wedge smiled induglently. 'Ah, my dear Ms. Jade. We are here to provide a service, as we do.'

'Such selflessness,' Hobbie said solemnly.

'Such bravery' Wes agreed.

'Such...heroism,' Wedge added, and they all smiled at her. Identical, spooky smiles.

They were plotting something.

'What are you planning?' she snapped, trying to keep her voice low. So help her, she did not like dealing with people this early in the morning. She really wanted some caf. Or hot chocolate. Or food, or something. The Rogues looked hurt.

Well, they tried. Injured innocence was not an expression that came naturally to any of them.

'We thought,' Hobbie explained carefully, 'that since we had experience of this sort of thing, we should offer our expertise.'

'Experience in what?' Mara had a nasty idea that she knew where this was going, but she really, really didn't want to say it.

Wedge sighed. 'When you...went missing, we acted as an anchor for our boy Luke here to go looking for you and then bring you back. And now we suspect there is something hidden in his mind to compel him to act contrary to his peaceful, gregarious nature.' His tone was mild, but his face was hard. You messed with one Rogue, you messed with them all. Mara was suddenly rather glad that they were on the same side now.

'So' Wes explained, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, 'we're offering to do the same thing for you. Not exactly the same thing, but pretty close. If you go poking about in Luke's mind, who knows what you might find? You might need a way back. And here we are.'

Mara simply gaped at them. 'You...would...you...me...I...Luke...' She snapped her mouth shut, and they grinned at her. Like schoolgirls sharing secrets, she thought absently, but didn't know why.

'Why? I mean, what? And also, why?'

'You,' Wes explained, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, and she was just being a bit slow, 'need to do the old Jedi mind-trickery. Get into Lukie boy's head, figure out what they've done to mess it up, and fix it.'

And for the second time in as many days, Mara Jade was reduced to gawping like an aquatic creature.

She held up a finger.

'One moment.'

Then she hauled Luke off by the collar. When they were a sufficient distance from the Rogues to discourage casual eavesdropping, she gave Luke her most incredulous look.

'Why?' She whispered, trying to keep her voice down. 'You need an expert. You need a Jedi. You need-'

'Someone I can trust completely, someone who has the talent, and someone who has the strength of will, and heart, and mind,' Luke interrupted. His voice was very gentle, and not a little sad, and it made her heart break to hear it. 'There is something wrong with my head. Or there might be. Leia's, too. And I can't fix her if I'm broken myself. We need to know for sure.'

'And Leia would not approve, so we're up at this time of the morning so we can get started before she has time to forbid you.' Mara groaned. 'All right, explain this to me...'

She's going to take a little time to be persuaded, so we'll pass lightly over that, and go to the other side of the room, where the Rogues are, indeed, plotting.

'Do you think she'll go for it?' Wes shrugged.

'It's Luke. If anyone can persuade her to do something, it's him. Also, it's for him, and it is patently obvious that she loves him.'

'And also that she's in pain,' said Hobbie, absentmindedly, and the other two rounded on him.

'What?'

'Ever since...well, almost ever since she got back. Mara Jade, big ball o' pain. S'written all over her face, I'm surprised you can't see it.' There was a silence, as Wes and Wedge considered this.

They would have questioned Hobbie further, but Mara was back. She was wearing her most resigned expression as, naturally, she had been persuaded into this latest bout of insanity by Luke.

'I'll get some cushions,' said Wes, helpfully, and they took their places.

'Relax, Mara,' Luke said, once they had all sat down on the floor. 'Just hang on to us, in your mind. Where I go, you'll go.'

Mara had the fleeting thought that this was probably the most insane thing she had ever done, and probably the most foolish, to boot. But Luke's blue eyes were warm and trusting, and she couldn't let him down.

She wouldn't let him down.

She closed her eyes, and let the trance take her.

'Bear me up' she whispered, and suddenly everything was blue.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen: Who can fathom the mind?

Blue. Again.

'Oh, no.' Mara slapped a hand to her face and groaned. 'Why? Why are we back here?'

_'Back where?'_ came an echoing response that was definitely Luke. _'This is what is usually looks like in here.'_

Mara took her hand off her face and looked around. Luke was nowhere to be seen. She had been holding his hand, and now...nope, nobody here but us chickens. And, all right, now she really looked, the blue was a bit different to the outside of Infinity or wherever she'd been. She could still feel the presences of the Rogues, firmly attached. They were like a rope around her waist, a safety line, and she felt a little calmer.

'What am I looking for?'

_'You'll know it when you see it, I'm sure._' was the unhelpful reply. _'Just...stay still and let the memories go past you.'_

So Mara sat back, and watched with some trepidation as Luke's memories, swirling and pooling, washed past her like a floating river.

She closed her eyes when she saw herself, the dark red pain of the memories twisted in with a broken silver thread of hope that winked back into existence as they spooled backwards. It was agonising, like watching a shuttle crash in reverse, and Mara winced in spite of herself. Back they went, until...

'Stop' she said, standing up. The memory halted, and she paused, unsure. What was she supposed to do now? She needed to be right there, needed to see what was going on, what happened. An idea occurred, but...

_'I trust you,' _came the voice again, and she made up her mind. She closed her eyes, walked into the river of memory, and opened her eyes again.

She watched, pained, as the memories started to play in the right order. These thoughts were quieter; so much quieter. After the initial explosion of sound and pain, Luke had been unconscious, so there was no thought; just the faint sounds that he had heard while he was under. And she was right there; no watching from the sidelines this time, she was walking among his memories, living them, hearing what he heard, seeing what he saw. There was darkness, and chanting, and then...

And then there was a box, flickering in and out of existence. She could hear Vorru in the background, still humming and chanting and repeating words, meaningless words, over and over. And then there was the box. What was it?

She concentrated, froze the memories again, and stepped over to it. The box was black, shiny and solid. Cold glittered on it like frost, water vapour roiling off it in waves. It was menacing. It was creepy.

It was also locked.

Mara steeled herself and hauled on the lid, but nothing happened. She tried again, with no luck. Her muscles were straining and her teeth were gritted, but...

Hold on. Wait just a moment.

What did strength have to do with anything, in this place? She was in Luke's mind. Therefore, something like Luke's rules must apply. Or, if she was affecting things, her rules should apply. Which was it?

She scowled at the box. Then she concentrated, willing it to open, before trying once more.

With a shriek of tortured metal, it complied, and she heard a sharp intake of breath.

The symbols that poured out of the box were burgundy and maroon and ANGRY, buzzing and hissing and spitting at her as she, without thinking, drew her lightsaber and went on the attack.

The lightsaber hummed as she slashed her way through the hissing mass. Every time she cut one to pieces, another came up. They whispered poison and hate and evil in her ears, and she growled, low in her throat, trying to make them stop, trying to drown them out.

'You. Are. Not. Welcome. Here!' she yelled, hacking and slashing with increased intensity.

But it was no good. They just kept coming, more and more pouring out of the black box and swirling around her head like angry avians.

Oh, she was being stupid again.

She turned, calming her mind, and with four precise strokes, hewed the box into pieces.

The maroon symbols flickered, began to fade, and Mara was on them in an instant. This time, they stayed down. She cut a great swathe through them, turning and ducking and crying out as they stung her face and arms.

And then finally, finally, they were gone. And she was alone.

She sank to the ground, such as it was, and gasped for air. The memories unfroze again, and began to play as she sat, lungs screaming for air, waiting for her heart to stop racing.

By the time it did, she was surrounded.

'Padme? What are you doing here?' Padme smiled.

'When one is one with the Force, one is everywhere. And you need to stay for this, because I would rather die again than watch you two mess up something that is destined to be great.'

Mara stood up, a little miffed that she was being lectured by a ghost.

'What?'

'Communication, Mara. Always make clear what is on your mind. Luke never did. And you never asked. And look at the mess you made.'

'What?' But Padme was gone, as suddenly as she had arrived, and now they were in the middle of...oh. Oh no.

_She watched herself pale. 'I didn't mean, oh…this is all going WRONG. Why can't it be simpler? I want it...I want it so much to be simpler.'_

_He flinched at that, dropping his gaze. 'I can't make a simple life, Mara.' He met her eyes again. 'But can we...?' _

_**Can we try anyway?**__ That was the question he never finished. The question he was barely brave enough to start. The question that he THOUGHT he had just asked._

'_No.' It came out as a whisper. 'We can't.' _

Mara, the Mara watching all of this, very pointedly did not scream.

_He nodded, an odd hollow feeling in his chest, and put a hand on her shoulder. She flinched, ever so slightly, but looked up at him as he said, 'I wouldn't want to give you anything less than the world, Mara. And I don't know if I can deliver on that.' With that, he walked away._

He never saw the tears, Mara reflected absently. But I bet he felt them. Her face was wet again, she noted, and she scrubbed her hand across her eyes.

All this could have been avoided.

Well, not the kidnap or the fighting. But everything else. All this could have been avoided if she had faced up to her feelings sooner. All this could have been avoided if he had been brave enough to finish the question.

All this could have been avoided, and the futility of it was enough to make her cry.

'Mara.' She really, really didn't want to talk to him right now.

'Please, Mara. Just because we're both stupid is no reason to do another stupid thing.'

And then he was beside her, as solid as she was, and she was weeping like a hurt child in his arms. And now he was crying too.

Eventually, they pulled back, and looked each other square in the eyes.

'I love you.' They said simultaneously, and then laughed.

Luke ran a finger down her cheek, smiling, and said, 'Well...can we try then?'

She smiled back.

'Of course we can, Farmboy.' Then she punched his arm. 'But don't ever expect me to mindread again!' They shared another grin, giddy as schoolchildren.

'Were you there?' Luke nodded.

'I saw all of it. I can do the same thing for Leia, now. He wanted...to ruin the Jedi, and to ruin Leia as well. Destabilize the government, get rid of a few old enemies...' She stared at him. 'You couldn't read the symbols?'

'No.'

'Well, I suppose they weren't meant for you. Consider yourself lucky.'

They joined hands, and Mara put her other hand to her waist, feeling the cord of the Rogue's life connecting her to earth.

'So how do I make this work?'

'Well, it's quite simple,' Luke began.

Shortly afterwards, everything went white.


	18. Chapter 18

The final chapter, everyone! And I still don't own Star Wars. But then again, that might be a good thing.

Phew. Tis done. Thanks for reading!

Chapter 18: The End of Some Things (and the Beginning of Others)

They came around slowly this time, blinking in the light and struggling to sit up.

'Can't...really move,' Mara mumbled through stiff, dry lips. She blinked a few more times, and tried to glance sidelong at Luke. He was in no better shape.

'Ssss...just...side-effect. It'll wear 'ff inasc...' He descended back into incomprehensibility again, and Mara let herself relax, closing her eyes.

The Rogues, on the other hand, were practically chipper. They bounced up off the floor, looked at each other, down to Luke and Mara, back, forth, back, forth...Wedge smiled evilly. This was too good an opportunity to waste.

The next time that Mara opened her eyes, she was sinking inexorably into the Solos' green sofa. Luke was beside her, and they were cuffed together. And to the legs of the sofa.

She tried to cry out, but Wes stuck his head into her field of vision and said, 'No, don't panic! It's just us!' Mara settled herself more comfortably, feeling starting to come back to her fingers and toes, and waited.

Luke was already awake, and cast her a sidelong glance that conveyed nonchalance, embarrassment, and here-we-go-again.

'We've been thinking,' Wedge began.

'About you two.' Wes clarified.

'We sometimes do that,' Hobbie said heavily, and the Rogues smiled again, identical, joyous smiles.

Luke was looking worried.

'You would make such a good couple,' Wes explained, 'that we couldn't help but try to give you a little nudge together, you see? And I says to myself, I says, when is the best time to reason with stubborn and dangerous sorts? Why, when they are in no condition to kill you with their pinkies or whatever it is you ex-Imperial types do.'

Hobbie was nodding. 'And so,' he explained, 'we are here to tell you that you should at least _try_ going on a date. One date, Ms Jade. It's not going to kill you. Probably. And then our meddling instincts will be satisfied, and you get a nice dinner out of it, and I'm sure Luke wouldn't mind paying.'

There was silence. The feeling had come back into Mara's toes now, for which she was grateful.

Truth to tell, this was striking her as fairly overwhelmingly funny. She could sense Luke trying not to laugh, and didn't trust herself to look at him in case they both ended up giggling.

_'Work with me,' _came the voice in her head, and she silently sent her acquiescence via the Force.

'You make a very compelling case,' Luke began mildly, and was quickly interrupted.

'Just think about it!'

'You'll enjoy it!'

'It'll be FUN! Don't you like FUN!'

'I don't object to fun,' Luke replied, amiable as ever. 'In fact, I think it's a good idea. Any objections, Mara?'

Mara shook her head. She didn't quite trust her mouth to make word-shapes yet, so that was the best she could do.

'Great,' said Luke, leaning over and kissing her on the forehead. 'I'll see you at seven. Until then, I need to go and placate my sister, not to mention fixing whatever damage they've done to her mind.'

And with that, he broke the cuffs as if they were nothing, got up, and strode off, only a slight wobble in his step.

Mara remained frozen. The words _! _running over and over in her mind. Wedge was gingerly unlocking her cuffs when she heard Luke in her head again.

'What did I tell you?' Wedge said to the Rogues, nonchalant on the surface but flushed with excitement underneath. 'I told you it would work out.'

'Nobody ties me up,' said Mara softly. Wedge froze.

'What?'

'I said,' Mara repeated, 'Nobody. Ties. Me. Up. Not without severely regretting it.'

Luke, having reappeared in the doorway as if by magic, was at her side in an instant. She kissed his cheek, and smiled.

'Ready?' He nodded.

They charged.

...

The Great Tickle Fight of Soloville has gone down in history as one of the most nefarious of all time. Especially after Han, Leia, Jacen, Jaina, R2D2 and (reluctantly) C-3P0 got involved.

Fliry Vorru's trial was attended in person by Luke and Leia, who beamed at him as he attempted to explain why kidnap, neural tampering and violence were not really so bad.

And when Anakin Solo was eight months old, Luke and Mara announced their engagement.

But that, as with many things in life, is another story.


End file.
